White Christmas
by MegamiTenchi
Summary: A fun crazy modern day adaptation of the 1954 classic film White Christmas featuring Gossip Girl's favorite foursome. Fluffy with a bit of smut and lots of scheming. It's that time of year again, Happy Holidays! Quite AU for obvious reasons.
1. Merry and Bright

White Christmas

Merry and Bright

Blair exhaled slowly as she stood in front of the Bass Industries building, her eyes moving higher and higher. Gathering her composure, she smoothed the front of her coat as she stared at the main doors. Her heart beat rapidly underneath Chantelle, Dior and Valentino as her hand met the door. The door he walked through everyday. Her heart was be beating wildly with anticipation, but her mind was screaming at her. Wrong. She had been so wrong, from the very beginning.

There was security in front of the bank of elevators. Her nerves giving away, she ducked into a waiting area off to the side. She could not do it- she could not do this. What would she say? What could she say? That she had been a fool. A fool, because love makes a fool of all of us. She thought of the look on his face when she had seen him yesterday. "Chuck..." she murmured, her eyes unfocused as she stared down at the patterned tile floor.

A female security guard politely poked her head around the corner to check on their visitor. This close to the holidays the building was not as busy, and Blair's presence, standing there nervously was very obvious. Stepping into the space, she softly asked, "Is there something I can help you with?"

But there was a commotion; a fury of long black Armani wool, his collar popped up to meet his neatly cut hair, as he talked on his phone. Both Blair and the guard, stood off to the side, out of his notice, watching him leave the building and slip into a waiting town car. Blair dared not breathe, scared he might sense her, only exhaling when the car had pulled away.

"Miss?" The guard broke the silence. Blair gave her a small smile.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. Now is not the time for this."

But there was a time. And a place. And she needed to rush home and pack.

* * *

><p>A number of years prior, in a very different place.<p>

* * *

><p>What… was I thinking? He wondered for the umpteenth time this week as he stepped outside. Chuck Bass, at an all-boys college. He began strolling across the campus from his dormitory and recalled that he knew perfectly well what he had been thinking when he accepted his admission.<p>

It had always been what his mother wanted for him. She had passed away when he was in that troubled age between child and teenager, but his memories of her were bright and deeply cherished. She was the first and foremost reason he was here; Evelyn Bass had always been decided on the fact that Hampden-Sydney College was one of the last bastions where gentlemen were created. The second reason was his father. Chuck had fully embraced his youth and riches, doing the hard earned titled of 'playboy' proud- but not his father. So by attending a serious school, and one not of the coeducational persuasion, Chuck both honored the memory of his mother and for once heard his father honestly say that he was proud of him.

The campus was beautiful, but it was still culture shock for Chuck when compared to life in New York City. It was so quiet and calm; the nearest decently major city was hours away. The nearest airport was in… Farmville. These all spurred Chuck to seek out some means of entertainment before he went mad.

So began Rush Week. It did not take a great deal of research before Chuck found his ideal home. Kappa Alpha's motto rather said it all: _Dieu et les Dames, _God and the ladies. There was a strong focus on leadership, and they upheld the ideals of chivalry and the values of gentlemen. Chuck imagined his mother would approve of that. He ambled up to the Kappa house and was instantly greeted by the members and other rushers. He settled into conversation with a shaggy dirty blond and fellow New Yorker named Nathaniel Archibald.

"Tell me Nathaniel-"

"-Nate," the blond cut in.

"Nathaniel," Chuck continued, "how did you come to attend Hampden-Sydney?"

"To one up my father. He only went to Dartmouth because he couldn't get in here; plus, it made Mom, and all of the family, happy. I have to say, I never thought my first conversation with Chuck Bass would be in the middle of nowhere, Virginia." Nate shook his head, mussing his hair even more.

"I wondered if my reputation would follow me this far," Chuck mused.

"You're Chuck Bass." Nate grinned.

"Indeed I am." Chuck offered a lazy smile in return.  
>There was a full week of activities planned, and it helped time move faster for Chuck, in this strange place devoid of crowds and traffic and bright lights at night. He enjoyed getting to know Nate more and they even shared the same history class. In fact, Dr. Waverly, who taught their history class, was also the Kappa's faculty advisor.<p>

"Whether you are intending to study law, medicine, business, or literature, the pages of history have much to teach you." The professor was tall, his hair rather grey, and he sported the terribly ironic tweed sport coat with patches on the elbows, "Not just your careers, but your lives will present you with infinite choices. By studying the choices of the past, you can avoid mistakes, learn to think strategically, and make the most of what this life will hand you."

Walking out of the lecture, Nate commented, "Well, he's no ordinary professor, is he? I hated history class before."

"Me too," Chuck seconded, "This could actually be interesting."

They ambled along together, talking about the syllabus and the course structure. As they came to part ways, Chuck asked, "Ready for paintball against the brothers this weekend?"

Nate laughed, "I know I am, but aren't you worried about getting paint in your hair?"

Chuck grinned at his friend, "As though you are one to be talking."

It was a cool morning that Saturday when the Kappa brothers took the field against the pledge class. Chuck dumped purple paint into his gun while Nate did the same with a rich golden paint, each wondering at the other's color choice.

"Purple?" Nate asked.

"Royalty," Chuck replied, "Yellow?"

"I was the 'golden boy' in school. It seemed appropriate." Nate shrugged.

As the boys huddled, Nate was suddenly proud of the hours he wasted on his Xbox playing Call of Duty, Halo, and Gears of War. They laid out a strategy, and Nate and Chuck stuck close, watching each other's backs. They successfully took down several brothers with their teamwork.

Chuck was scouting when Nate caught sight of an opponent preparing to shoot at Chuck. His gun blazing, Nate pushed Chuck aside, out of the line of fire. Nate had taken out the shooter and saved Chuck, but his leg had cracked against a fallen tree in the process and he fell over it, landing hard on his right arm.

"Nate!" Chuck rushed to him.

Nate sat up, a lopsided grin on his face. His shirtsleeve was torn and his arm was scratched up and bleeding. "Ah, this is nothing compared to lacrosse."

Chuck removed the stylish bandana he had tied around his neck. He tied it around Nate's arm, "Are you sure you didn't break anything? We should pull back and have it looked at." Chuck was horrified by the nasty fall. That Nate had been injured trying to protect him? No one had ever done such a thing for him before.

"No, it's fine, it's fine!" Nate shook his head a moment before he leaned against Chuck to stand, "Onward to the fight!"

Luckily, the fight ended ten minutes later. The nurse berated Nate's brazenness, bandaging him up properly, and putting his arm in a sling.

Later that night, Chuck came by Nate's room with a couple of contraband bottles of beer. "I came to check on the invalid."

"It's not so bad," Nate offered, softly touching his arm and making a face. He gratefully accepted the beer, "Anyways, we won!"

They toasted to the victory and took a drink. Chuck pulled a face, "I can't believe I'm risking under age drinking for this."

Nate laughed, "For a minute there I almost forgot you were Chuck Bass!"

"True, this is hardly the worst thing I've ever done." Chuck smirked. He and Nate passed the time together recalling life in New York and the wild things they would get up to when no one was watching. When the hour grew late, Chuck went to depart. "Nathaniel, I… I've never had anyone do what you did for me today. If you should ever need something from me, all you need to do is ask."

"Actually…"

Chuck quirked an eyebrow at his savior.

"I have my eye on a summer internship in the legal department… at Bass Industries. It's not government like my mother's family and it's not banking like my father. And… it's Bass Industries. Just, put in a word for me, that's not too much, is it?"

Nate looked up at him with those giant blue eyes and held his wounded arm. It was all Chuck could do to not groan and roll his eyes. He never knew Nate had such a dramatic streak in him. But it was so little in Chuck's mind compared to what Nate had done.

"Apply, write a good essay. But it's yours. Don't make me look bad- I'll be there, too, so I'll know if you mess around with any of the staff, Mr. Archibald." Chuck half grinned, "After all, I'm Chuck Bass."

Chuck and Nate became members of Kappa Alpha and Nate manipulated Chuck into being study partners for Waverly's history class just by patting his wounded arm. The professor made history interesting, exciting, and everyone in the course worked hard to gain not just a good grade, but also his respect.

The time that the two boys spent together at Hampden-Sydney passed quickly between Kappa house and their course work. Dr. Waverly was their fixed point throughout, constantly offering guidance and advice. The professor was always good for a story, a reminder that great men of the past struggled with the same sorts of problems as students today. Sandwiched between their studies, Nate and Chuck spent holidays back in New York. During the day, they worked for Bass Industries, and at night they ruled the clubs, working off the obvious frustrations that arise from attending an all-boys college.

In hindsight, their years there would feel slower and more peaceful than the ones that followed. Their post-graduate programs were exhausting even though both of them excelled in their course work. They spent their summers together working at Bass Industries, a tentative partnership of sorts forming between them. All Nate needed do to win over his ideas was touch that once long ago wounded arm, but Chuck never came to regret listening to his friend. Nate's ideas kept him busy and he thrived in his work. Chuck's appetite for hard work- the satisfaction it gave him, the satisfaction of making his father proud, slowly began to affect his once carefree lifestyle. He no longer had the time, or inclination, to drink excessively, party all night, or move from girl to girl.

When Nate graduated and passed the Bar, there was little question where he would work. Chuck had come to work under his father, and Nate was Chuck's liaison in the legal department. It was a charmed existence; so much success so early in their lives. Yes, they had worked hard, but life had yet to throw them any curve balls.

Nate was entertaining two young ladies in his office as he wrapped up for the evening. He smiled when he saw Chuck in the doorway, "Chuck! I'd like you to meet Hazel and Juliet."

Chuck held back a sigh. Neither of the girls was at all appealing, even less so when they opened their mouths to greet him. He wondered why Nate was always doing this to him. He had little time or interest in women recently beyond social events and the… necessary distraction on occasion.

"We were just heading out for drinks, it's happy hour after all." Nate beamed at him.

"I just came to pick up the new contracts, late night I'm afraid. I have a conference call with Tokyo in half an hour. Another time, ladies?" Chuck feigned his regret.

"Oh, the contracts are in Colin's office, let me get them." Nate dashed out, leaving Chuck with the girls, who gazed at him like a favorite piece of candy. Just then, his phone rang- it was Bart's secretary. Saved! He turned towards the doorway, "Sorry, I need to take this one privately."

Serena glanced up at her friend and partner as she folded the piece of stationery on her desk. Blair was chatting furiously with one of their contractors. It made Serena glad that Blair handled the business side of their public relations firm and she was left to handle the clientele. She slipped the page into an envelope, double checking the return address, before casually burying it in the pile of outgoing mail. Heaven forbid Blair even suspected she was up to anything, nevertheless spot the envelope addressed to one Charles Bass of Bass Industries.

Unbeknownst to them all, these simple actions- a phone call and a letter, would come to drastically change all of their lives.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: My brain is still quite fatigued from completing Love You Some Day. However, I thought this story would be a fun challenge, and not too too much work. So I give you a holiday story to fluff up our ship after the first half of season five: Gossip Girl's Non-Judgmental Breakfast Club meet Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Will you join me on this journey, and see how I reconciled a movie from 1954 with our beloved NJBC?**

**Gobs of love to Georgia, my poor poor editor, I can never ever repay you my dear! To GGFan73104, Alyssa, I can't really imagine writing without you anymore. You're the kind of friend and reader everyone dreams of having. And last, but hardly least, Sabrina Fairchild, who has been instrumental in her support and patience in helping me develop the story, and reconciling two very different worlds! This story would not be without you three wonderful women. xoxo**

**Now please take a moment to let me know what you thought of our efforts? It's going to be quite fluffy, but I always live up to my M ratings in the end -_^**


	2. May Your Days Be

White Christmas  
>May your days be…<p>

Chuck stormed into the hospital, demanding to know where his father was. He paced furiously waiting for a doctor. When the man finally arrived, Chuck only processed bits and pieces of what he was being told. Something about his father's heart and that he had known for a little while that this had been coming. Chuck's mind was reeling, trying to make sense of it all. There had been subtle changes these past few months, but... nothing to indicate that... that Bart Bass was dying.

Allowed to see his father now, Chuck swallowed hard before pushing the door open. The great Bart Bass was pale, surrounded by a myriad of machines, including the glowing heart monitor with its skipping line, its beeping ringing through the room. Chuck wordlessly pulled a chair up next to the bed, and took his father's hand. "How could you...?"

"I wanted what time I had left to be enjoyed unfettered by the knowledge of what comes to every man someday. I wanted to watch my son, to see what a great man you've become."

Chuck was already a tangle of emotions that now he had to stare at the floor in embarrassment. After all the things that had changed between them when his mother died, he never expected to see this gentle, caring side to his father ever again. So he gazed up at him with a small smile, his own heart pounding loudly in his ears as Bart's own was steadily beating its last.

"I love you, Chuck. I was hardly a perfect father, especially after..." Bart paused here, thinking how soon he would be with his beloved Evelyn once more, "But you're my son and I am proud to leave you my legacy. Take it and make it your own. But don't let it consume you. You have so much ahead of you, just..."

"Father!" Chuck's voice broke and cracked as he watched his father's face twist in pain.

Bart's smile was sad as his heart began to fail, "Don't forget... to count your blessings."

The pain was acute and Chuck wept as his father slipped away, "I love you too, Father."

When the nurses poured into to record the death of Bart Bass, a distressed Nate pushed his way into the room. He pulled Chuck away, into the hallway. They hugged, both quiet as tears flowed in mourning of the great man they had both lost.

* * *

><p>The day of the funeral, Chuck closed all of the companies in mourning. The service was solemn and Chuck wore his best society face through the afternoon of condolences. That evening, he took the elevator to the top floor of the tall glass skyscraper he had known since he was a boy, watching his father run his business, the glimmer of the New York skyline behind him. Packing up the personal effects in his office, he swiped his card, the light flashing green, to enter his father's office- the office of the CEO of Bass Industries.<p>

The will had been read the day before, all of it very straightforward. Everything was now his. Over a billion dollars, the company, countless works of priceless art, stocks... but he was too numb to process the immensity of it. There was, however, a slight curiosity niggling in the back of his mind. Setting his things down upon the desk, Chuck moved towards the small safe he knew was hidden behind Magritte's The Son of Man. Entering the newly acquired code, he pulled open the heavy door. It was mostly stocks, bonds, and certificates stashed inside. But at the very top of the large pile was a small black box.

Chuck's heart ached, he knew what it was, and he had not seen it since he was a child. It was said to be more beautiful than any diamond owned by a Vanderbilt, Astor, or Rockefeller, and easily one of the best pieces Harry Winston had ever made. He reached out, his hand trembling slightly as his fingers wrapped around the cool little leather covered box. Box in hand; Chuck sat at the desk before pulling it open. His mother's ring lay inside, a blaze of white fire, sparkling wildly, even under the dull light of the desk lamp.

He sat there, staring at it thoughtlessly for an unmarked period of time, until Nate appeared in the doorway.

"It took me a little while to figure out where you had run off to." Nate stepped into the room and his eyes fell to the shining point of light on the desk, his brows furrowing, "What is that?"

"It was... my mother's..." Chuck whispered as though he was afraid of disturbing something sacred.

"Chuck... you shouldn't be doing this right now. You need to rest and grieve- if you don't, I'm not going to leave you alone for even five seconds for fear of you running off and tormenting yourself again. I get why you wanted to get away from the reception earlier, but sitting here, with your mother's ring? You shouldn't do that, man… it's not healthy.," Nate finished with a small friendly smile.

Snapping the tiny box shut, Chuck stood, his shoulders slumping slightly. He placed the box in his jacket pocket, "You're right. Get me out of here and give me something strong to drink."

* * *

><p>Chuck did listen to his friend, but being CEO of Bass Industries soon required his full attention, while providing him with a convenient distraction to make time pass at a faster rate. His first decision was to create a trust in Bart's memory. It would support education, as his father had been a self-made man. The media outlets ate up the story. Society seemed happy with him for the moment, and he kept busy enough to ignore his sadness, and the hole in his heart.<p>

* * *

><p>Further uptown, on Madison Avenue, Serena poured over the story. "Poor Chuck Bass... I can't even imagine!"<p>

"I'm sure he'll find plenty of comfort in the arms of an old conquest, or a high price call girl?" Blair icily quipped.

"B! You don't mean that!" Serena was aghast at the brunette's comment.

"He's a playboy! They excel at _not_ feeling things- I mean, there are dozens and dozens of tabloid photos of him, never with the same girl twice, spanning years and years of drinking, and partying, and heaven knows what else." Her reply rolled of her tongue effortlessly.

"When he was in high school, or home from Hampden-Sydney- an all-boys school, and" Serena perused the article for where he received his MBA, "come on- his master degree in business is from Harvard. You can't believe he fits in such a neat little box like that? And in the past year, photos of him are with socialites, at big charity or society events!" Serena's eyes shifted back to a sad photo of Chuck at his father's funeral, "He looks _so_ sad, and he's all alone…"

From the other side of the room, Blair cleared her throat. "I hardly think reading his well-rehearsed sob story counts as work, S."

"But it counts as a familial concern? Eric went to school with him..." Serena offered as a reminder.

"And when was the last time you spoke with Eric?" Blair shook her head.

"A month... or so... ago?" Serena sheepishly replied.

"You don't even remember he left for Guam last week, do you?"

Serena blanched, "I thought that was next month!"

"Nope. I knew I should have put it on the calendar." Blair smirked a little before her phone buzzed on the desk. Picking it up, she smiled and turned on her business persona, "W&W Relations, Blair Waldorf speaking."

* * *

><p>Nate and Chuck were working late, even though it was a Friday evening. Chuck had freshened up in his office after tying up some loose ends and grabbed the blue shirt he had his secretary retrieve before departing earlier. Strolling to Nate's office, he was hardly surprised to find him talking to Juliet.<p>

"Chuck! Juliet and I were just talking. We thought we might go and grab some dinner? Her friend Jenny is in town..."

"Sorry, but we can't go. Business dinner, did you forget?"

Juliet promptly pouted and Nate furrowed his brow, "No, but there were no details, just said we were having dinner together."

"Business, a favor for an old friend. Here-" Chuck tossed the shirt to Nate, "Freshen up, we don't want to be late."

* * *

><p>In their apartment, Serena shoved the dress Blair had pulled out back in the closet. "What's wrong with that one?" Blair whined.<p>

"How many times have I had to listen to your powerful woman speech? _That_ is not something a powerful woman wears. Especially to a dinner with powerful men!" Serena pulled out a daring little red number.

"And that is? And you still haven't told me how you landed us a dinner with Charles Bass and Nathaniel Archibald. Our firm is hardly in their league."

"Oh, didn't I tell you? Apparently, Eric wrote them a letter mentioning us. Isn't he the sweetest?" Serena tittered.

"Before he left for Guam?" Blair inquired further.

"Yes... I suppose so..." Serena buried herself in Blair's closet, looking through her shoes for a complimentary pair, and so Blair could not see her face.

"S..." Blair knew better, "You wrote the letter, didn't you?"

"They were old friends from college, I figured it couldn't hurt!" Serena shoved a pair of stylish black pumps into Blair's hands, "Now, go get dressed, you wouldn't want us to be late, would you?"

Blair scowled as she tromped off to the bathroom, Serena smiling at the success of her masterful plan.

* * *

><p>In the limo, Nate was curious to know more, "So, what is this business dinner?"<p>

"A favor for an old friend."

Nate stared at Chuck, unmoved.

"Do you remember Eric van der Woodsen?" Chuck queried.

"Of course, I remember Eric!" Nate chuckled, "What a string bean he was, even when we graduated."

* * *

><p>It had been during their junior year at Hampton-Sydney. Chuck and Nate were walking into the library to study and work on graduate school applications. "Ugh," Nate sighed, "This essay has me so stressed out."<p>

"Hold on, Nathaniel. I have a book to pick-up from the desk."

At the circulation desk, a willowy blond boy sat, his brown eyes wide as he observed Chuck Bass walking towards him. Chuck proffered his ID card, but the boy simply said, "Chuck Bass."

"Another New Yorker?" Chuck hazarded a guess.

"Eric van der Woodsen, Sutton Place."

"Well, Eric, I'm Chuck Bass, the Palace, and this is Nathaniel Archibald, so moneyed and blue blooded he's from too many places. I have a book on hold."

Nate scoffed at his reply and Eric hopped down from his perch and retrieved Chuck's book. When the boy returned, Nate pondered a thought aloud, "Eric, do you think you could help me find some materials for this essay?"

Eric smiled, "Of course!"

Chuck had strolled off to their usual table and Eric helped Nate dig through the stacks in search of some resources to really make his application essays shine.

Though they were a couple years older than Eric, they were always happy to see him when they visited the library. After awhile, they would sometimes drink together- secretly of course, and recall memories of New York City. But like many of the friends they had made in college, those friendships had fallen to the wayside, to be replaced with grueling courses for their professional degrees, and work. Always work.

* * *

><p>"Yes, well, I had a letter from him. It seems his sister has a PR firm in town and wondered if we might see how they are doing, perhaps offer some business advice. And I had been wondering about bringing someone in to handle my father's trust..." Chuck pondered aloud.<p>

"Little Eric has a sister? I can't really imagine..."

Their separate thoughts were halted as the limo came to a stop. They were only a few minutes late, but the entrance to The Oak Room was overly crowded. Nate inquired after the girls to the maître d. The man gestured toward two women just a few feet away, of whom Nate saw first. Eric's sister... he could see the relation, but she was tall and stunning, and he paused to gaze at her face and her beautiful blue eyes. She was animated, as she seemed to be urging on the pretty little brunette next to her. He could not take his eyes off of her, so he nudged Chuck and nodded his head, "I found her."

He saw Nate's face and inwardly sighed at his friend's love struck look. Following his line of sight, Chuck only glanced at the blonde before the brunette that was accompanying her captured his attention. She turned towards them and Chuck thought he had never seen such soft glossy curls or such deep brown eyes.

"Who would have thought Eric's sister... look at those big blue eyes!" Nate babbled.

"No, they're brown." Chuck only half heard what Nate had said.

"Blue…" Nate retorted.

"Brown."

"Blue..." Nate replied, then realized Chuck was not staring at Eric's sister, but her companion, "Oh, yeah... deep brown."

The tall blonde had spotted them by now and the girls walked towards them. Formal introductions were made and they were promptly seated at a table.

"How is Eric doing?" Nate inquired.

"He is well, he's away in Guam on a project, sadly during the holidays. I feel like he hasn't changed a bit- but then he'll always be my little brother." Serena showed Nate a photo on her phone. Glancing up, Nate gave Chuck a lopsided smile- Eric certainly did still look the same.

"So how is it we can help?" Chuck asked.

"We've just wondered about some friendly advice," Serena replied, continuing on to elaborate. "We're doing well enough- have had several great events, but we aren't sure what would be the best next step to move up in the business? I even joked about dying Blair's hair blonde if it would make more of an impact." She chuckled at this, though Blair looked mortified at the proposal.

Chuck gazed upon Blair and balked at the image of her shiny brown tresses being bleached blonde, "No, I wouldn't change a thing."

Blair returned his gaze, a little flustered at his attentions, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks. The way he was looking at her, with those eyes; she felt he was looking straight through her, and she was alarmed by how hard her heart was beating.

Nate and Serena promptly looked at one another, clearly sensing the connection between their friends. Nate cleared his throat, "Serena, how about a dance?"

She smiled at him and they left to dance and spy upon their best friends' interactions. They watched as Chuck and Blair scooted closer as they spoke. Nate held Serena close while they danced, smiling at how lucky he was. Being with a beautiful girl and getting Chuck out of the office! And for Chuck to give any girl as much attention as he had already given Blair was unprecedented. He happily commented, "If this keeps up, they'll be married by New Year's. Though, she has her work cut out for her. He was already a workaholic before Bart passed away."

"Then it will be an interesting fight. The ideas that girl has in her head! And stubborn like you wouldn't believe," Serena added.

"So is he; this will be good." Nate smiled as they continued to dance across the floor. Serena smiled back at him.

Back at the table, appearances were quite deceiving. Chuck and Blair watched as their friends moved to the dance floor.

"What a pair they make," Chuck murmured in observation.

"You should know, Mr. Bass-" Blair began.

"Please, call me Chuck." He smiled.

But Blair was all seriousness, "You should know that Eric didn't write that letter. Serena did."

Chuck smirked and leaned towards her, "So even sweet looking Serena has an angle?" Blair looked offended at his words, "Don't be ashamed, everyone does!"

"That is such a cynical way to view the world. You don't really believe that, do you?" Blair countered.

"We all have wants and desires, don't we?" Chuck's voice was low as he stared at her.

His eyes were warm and Blair's heart sped up. She moved her chair closer to him, uncertain if it were out of defense or, something else. "But Serena didn't mean any harm by it. She would never intentionally hurt anyone and she has certainly never had much of a head for playing games."

"And you do?" Chuck drawled, still gazing at her.

Blair mentally berated herself for the flush she knew was now coloring her cheeks but held her countenance, "Your reputation for being a flirt precedes you, Mr. Bass."

"Chuck..." he replied, and lightly placed his hand over hers on the table, "And does it truly precede me? Here I thought we were simply debating aspects of human nature."

Pulling her hand away from him and into her lap, Blair tried to slow her rapidly beating heart. "Perhaps. Though I doubt this discussion could possibly end well, and as I imagine our paths shall never cross again, we should do our best to simply get along for the rest of the evening."

Chuck sat back in his seat, a small smirk on his face, "True, we should try to get along for the sake of our friends."

He had quite enjoyed the light sparring they had exchanged and wondered how brazen she might be on better acquaintance. He was intrigued but he consented to her request for polite conversation.

"How do the plans for the new trust proceed?" Blair offered a change of topic.

The song drew to a close and the band was pausing for a break. Nate and Serena looked at their friends a moment before returning to the table. They noticed the intensity they witnessed earlier had waned. Serena sighed, "If only we weren't leaving for a work-vacation in Vermont in the morning. It's going to be a miserable drive, though Vermont is lovely this time of year, all that snow."

"I hear Vermont is lovely this time of year... all that snow." Nate mimicked her.

"That's what I just said..." Serena glanced up at him curiously.

"Would you be opposed to not driving to Vermont?"

Now Serena was very curious, "Not driving?"

Nate smiled, "If you take care of her, I'll take care of him."

The remainder of the dinner passed without much of anything interesting occurring. Before the pairs parted ways, Serena and Nate secretly passed their phones under the table, exchanging their numbers. A plan was hatched and suddenly the holidays were not looking so dull.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm sorry if I made you sad... there's a point to to it though? Have faith in me? :) Are they cute though? Was it fun? Let me know so I can poke Georgia about getting the next chapter edited :D And shout out to mlharper for asking me why I wouldn't post the chapter again? lol, I forgot it was already Saturday...<br>**


	3. Like The Ones I Used To Know

White Christmas

Like the Ones I Used to Know

"Dorota! Do you have my new Burberry down coat?" Blair called out from her room as she checked her handbag one last time.

"Yes, Miss Blair." The maid handed Blair the red quilted coat. "Miss Serena should only be a few more minutes. The car is already here, all your luggage has been loaded."

"Thank you, Dorota." Despite her unladylike yelling, she hugged the maid, "We'll be back well before Christmas, but try not to be too bored without us?"

Serena stood in the doorway; "I don't think Dorota thinks of it as a week of boredom ahead of her, especially since she is so far along- any day now!"

"Yes, it will be nice to have some time with Vanya before the little one joins us." Dorota smiled, placing her hand on her round stomach a moment. "But you two can't be late!"

"It's just a drive, Dorota..." Blair mumbled, picking up her handbag and workbag. She missed Serena glaring at the maid.

The girls left the van der Woodsen penthouse with one last wave to the maid. Dorota was, in all honesty, more than just a maid. She was family, especially to Blair, whose definition of family had evolved since her parents died in an accident when she was only thirteen. She and Serena had been as good as sisters, even before Lily became Blair's ward. However, Lily was hardly much of a mother; Blair and Serena may technically be sisters, but Blair was fiercely protective of Serena. Blair's dominance had always been there, but it grew vastly when Serena truly became her family. While Dorota cared for the well being of both girls, it was Blair who was the mother hen to Serena's chick.

So when the town car took them to a helicopter launch pad instead of across the bridge, Blair had her motherly scowl on her face. "Serena, what is this?"

"Better, faster, more comfortable means of getting to Vermont?" Serena beamed one of her best smiles.

Blair continued to scowl at Serena while the car was unloaded into the helicopter, as they took their seats, and even more so when the pilot said it would only be a few more minutes until takeoff.

* * *

><p>That morning Nate hurriedly helped Chuck pack, much to the latter's dismay and confusion. "I still don't understand what we're doing."<p>

"I got an urge to get out of the city. I'm missing the quiet of the country- the fresh crisp air, no city lights, and snow... It must be wonderful in Vermont this time of year, all that snow..." Nate affected an air of nostalgia as he spoke. Chuck looked at him curiously, but went along with his friend anyway. It would feel good to get away for the weekend. He began to relax a little during the journey to the helipad, letting some of the exhaustion he felt deep inside bubble to the surface. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, recalling a flash of brown eyes and the feel of her small hand under his. An unexpected occurrence, Chuck furrowed his brow at the thought. He did not have the time or energy for females beyond the calendar of required society events, in spite of all of Nate's very transparent efforts. He sighed, "Nate, when do you suppose you'll just let me be, and stop trying to entangle me with some female?"

"Well, it's for your own good. You can't work all the time- there's more to life than running a corporation! You haven't properly dated a girl in years and I fear you might never find a girl to settle down with."

"And you expect me to settle down with the kinds of girls you've been introducing me to?" Chuck glowered at his friend, "The last time I let you take me out..."

"Fine, she didn't go to college. She didn't go to Vassar!" Nate grumbled.

"Vassar? She couldn't even spell it," Chuck retorted snidely, "Look, even if I was thinking about that aspect of my life, the family oriented ones are well married by now, and the others have careers and don't want to sacrifice that for a penthouse and children. So, maybe I'll get around to it someday, but it's just not in the cards right now."

"By the time you get around to getting what's left to be gotten, what's left to be gotten won't be worth getting, whatever it is you've got left." Nate countered.

"When I figure out what that means, I'll come up with a crushing reply. What's behind all of this, anyway? You can't tell me there isn't some little angle behind for you?" Chuck defended.

Nate sighed, "I want you to be happy. When you're sad, I'm sad. When you're happy, I'm happy. And you won't be happy until you have the most important thing- a girl. Right now you're all work and no play, so I'm all work and no play. But just think... if you got married, and had nine kids, and spent just five minutes with each one, that's forty-five minutes. Forty-five minutes everyday! I could go and get a massage or something..."

Nate grumbled a little more as the car came to a stop. Chuck did not want to think about what his friend had said, for at the heart of it, what he said made perfect sense. His father... his father had been a different person when his mother was alive. There had been a fullness to life- there had been happiness in their lives.

Arriving at the helipad, Nate walked quickly ahead of him towards the aircraft. Climbing in the large, plush helicopter second, it dawned on Chuck quite abruptly that they had guests. And he faltered a moment as he took his seat when those brown eyes he had imagined minutes ago locked with his. Both brunettes instantly turned to their blond counterpart and simultaneously asked:

"What is s/he doing here?"

"Blair-"

"Chuck-"

"This was a much quicker, more comfortable way to travel to Vermont. You shouldn't be rude in front of our kind hosts." Serena lightly berated Blair.

"You needed to get out of the city. And I thought to offer the girls a better way to get to their destination. If anything, for an old friend." Nate gave Chuck the big eyes and touched his arm.

Both brunettes huffed and crossed their arms before looking back at one another. Blair frowned and looked out the window, mumbling to Serena, "I can't believe you stuck me in here with the poor little cynical rich boy!"

Chuck narrowed his eyes at her, "Well, I'm sorry my life experience has been so drastically different from yours. Let me guess, perfect little Upper East Side Princess, with your perfect life, and your perfect parents, and your perfect upbringing?"

Blair snapped back from gazing out on the city. Her eyes were black and cold as they gazed at him. He heard Serena whisper his name and his eyes registered the awful look on the blonde girl's face. Blair looked at him, indignant, and pulled out her phone, shoving in her earphones before completely turning away from everyone to stare out the window. Clearly he had said something wrong.

Nate watched the whole scene in complete confusion. What had happened since last night? And what on Earth had Chuck said now?

Serena shook her head at Chuck, "You don't know what you're talking about. Blair's more than my friend, Chuck. She's my sister."

Nate furrowed his brow, even more confused, "But you two..."

"I'll let her tell you if she wants, but just so you know where you stand. She's my sister, and it goes beyond hair color and blood." Serena ended the conversation there, pulling out a magazine to read.

So Chuck, feeling a mix of guilt and curiosity, shifted his attention to work as Nate made pouty faces at Serena to pay attention to him. After awhile, Serena gave in, and in no time they were chatting away. Chuck could hardly focus on his work, not because of the funshine twins, but because he kept glancing at Blair. She was curled up in her seat, her arms wrapped around herself as she gazed out the window. He remembered how sharp and fiery she had been the night before and his guilt sat in his stomach. He reached across the great expanse between them and touched her arm. She turned to look at him and pulled the headphones from her ears. He spoke hastily, "I didn't know..."

"I know you didn't. That doesn't make it any less painful, especially given your precise accusations." Blair coolly replied; her life really had felt quite perfect- before her parents' death.

She shifted in her seat, watching her hands as she smoothed the fabric of her skirt. Chuck witnessed the polite facade she had used last night slip back into place. He watched the tip of her pink tongue wet her lips, pondering what it was about her that mesmerized him, when she spoke again, "What do you plan to do when we reach Vermont?"

"Relax. I haven't really paused for a long time, and I've pushed even harder since my father..." Chuck glanced at the window, unable to complete the sentence.

"I'm sorry," Blair offered, pausing a moment to consider the son of the great Bart Bass sitting before her. Her interactions with him up to this point had satisfied all reports of his character, but in this small point in time, she saw tenderness- a human heart behind the calculating eyes of a Bass. So she softened in turn, offering kindness through distraction, "Do you know where you expect to stay for the weekend?"

Nate interjected here with a cough, "We're uh... actually staying at the same place as you, at the Columbia Inn."

The blonds smiled innocently, Blair tried not to sigh, and Chuck took a drink from his glass of water, mumbling so only Nate could hear, "Pushing... pushing..."

Nate gazed at Chuck and rubbed the long ago injured arm.

"Just think of all the snow..." Serena said dreamily, completely rerouting the conversation.

"Snow ball fights!" Nate laughed.

"Hot chocolate by the fire." Blair smiled.

"Hot _toddies_ by the fire," Chuck corrected as he smiled, too.

The quartet fantasized about playing in the snow, the crisp winter air, blue skies, white mountain tops, and tall green pine trees. Before they knew it the helicopter was touching down.

Serena was the first to notice, "Is this Vermont?"

"Of course it is..." Chuck began to say, before he looked out the window. The trees were green... as well as the grass. When the pilot opened the door, they were greeted with a burst of warm air.

"Feels more like North Carolina than Vermont!" Serena said as Nate helped her down from the helicopter. Chuck felt a rush of adrenaline as watched Nate wrap his hands around Serena's waist. Quickly climbing out of the helicopter, Chuck was anxious for the opportunity to touch Blair. He did not question why- what it was that made him want to be near her, all he felt was eager excitement as he looked into her eyes and lifted his arms up to her.

Blair looked down at him, taking a moment to swallow hard as he gazed up at her. She wanted nothing from him, lest he try to accuse her of working an angle. Even allowing him to lift her down from the helicopter required a certain level of trust; did she trust him even that much? But he was being polite, and a gentleman, what was she supposed to do? Say no? So she leaned down, placing her hands on his broad shoulders as his hands curled around her waist.

It lasted only a few seconds, but Nate and Serena grinned as they watched Blair sink into Chuck's arms. Her cheeks were tinged pink as she said thank you and pulled away, an action that left Chuck looking regretful when he watched her walk towards the waiting limo.

Serena shook her head a little, "She's already starting to fight it."

"Well, he's hardly going to be easy," Nate murmured.

"Then they are so lucky to have us as friends!" she replied, slipping her arm through his as they walked to the car.

The drive to the inn was relatively quiet as Serena and Blair went over some business and Nate went on about how nice it was to be out of the city. Internally, Chuck was at odds with himself. He should be in the city working, holiday season or not, the idea of leaving Bass Industries for more than a weekend was uncomfortable. How could he go so long without working? It was an alien concept and he already felt lost in the realization of it. Nate had brought his interfering to a new level; though, looking at Blair Chuck did not seem to mind as much as he usually did. Counting the weeks in his head, he became aware of the fact that it had been awhile since he had... spent time with a woman. In the back of his mind, for a small second, he also thought of his father, and his mother, and the joy of family.

Soon, the limo pulled up in front of a large old country house; it looked like it could be straight out of a Currier and Ives print- well, if the snow were not missing. Stepping inside, the foyer was large and a woman stood guard behind the concierge desk. She smiled at them and greeted them, "Welcome to the Columbia Inn."

As room keys were put in order, Nate charismatically inquired, "So where is all the snow?"

"We haven't had snow since Thanksgiving," the woman looked dejected, "It was 68℉ yesterday."

"Is this really Vermont, America's winter playground?" Serena pondered.

"Maybe it's the wrong Vermont?" Nate's blue eyes twinkled.

"Oh, no, this must be Southern Vermont." Chuck laughed a little.

Blair pulled out her little list and frowned at it, "So much for skiing..."

Serena smiled as she took the keys for their cabin, "There's still plenty to do, B!"

Nate was passing Chuck his key to their cabin when the door opened and a gentleman and a young girl came in carrying firewood. Chuck promptly dropped his key, "Professor Waverly!"

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks, as always, to my dear wonderful Georgia for editing. It's amazing the silly things you can still do after writing for almost a year!<p>

Fair warning! I started working a good 20 hours a week last week, and there's a chance it will only go up from there. But I'm still working when I can to get this story done and up so it can finish on Christmas/Christmas Eve. So please, leave a review and help me keep writing no matter how tired I am, lol.


	4. Tree Tops Glisten

White Christmas

Tree Tops Glisten

Nate turned, and mimicked Chuck's shock, "Professor Waverly!"

"Charles, Nathaniel. How are you?" Professor Waverly said with his arms full of firewood.

"We're fine, professor," Nate murmured.

"We try to keep the professor part quiet," he replied, trying to gloss over his past existence.

Chuck furrowed his brow, "Why?"

"To put it in one sentence, people don't except a professor of academic renown to carry firewood."

"But... Dr. Waverly, a janitor?" Nate's voice was filled with shock and horror.

"As a matter of fact, it's worse than that. I own this hotel." Professor Waverly set down the pile of wood.

"A landlord?" Nate was stunned.

"Now, if I start the introductions, might I get to meet these young ladies?" The professor smiled at the girls as he stepped towards the desk, "This is my daughter-in-law, Mrs. Emma Waverly, and my granddaughter Susan."

Blair smiled, "I'm Blair Waldorf."

Serena smiled even brighter as she threw her arm around the little brunette, "My adoptive sister- and I'm Serena van der Woodsen. We're here for a little vacation, and as research for a pretty venue outside of the city. My brother Eric suggested this place."

"How is Eric?" Professor Waverly inquired, not missing a beat.

Nate and Chuck looked at one another curiously.

"He's as wonderful as always. Sadly away on business right now. But snow or no snow, I'm sure we'll have a glowing report for him when he asks how we enjoyed visiting your inn."

"I'm sure. Besides, we'll have six inches of snow tonight. We'll be full up tomorrow with skiers," the professor said with a smile.

"Is that the weather report for tomorrow?" Blair asked, happy that she would not have to alter her check list.

"No, but if there was one thing I learned from teaching, is to be positive, especially when you don't know what you are talking about." The professor's reply made everyone chuckle.

Emma took this break in the conversation to hand the professor a few bags of groceries, "Here."

Professor Waverly grinned sheepishly, "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," he said before walking back towards the kitchen, taking a moment to glance back at his former students with a smile and a twinkle of happiness in his eyes.

* * *

><p>The girls were unpacking in their cabin. Serena casually glanced up at her sister, "So..."<p>

"I was thinking we should ask Emma to show us around first?" Blair neatly refolded a sweater.

"That's not what I was asking." Serena chuckled, "You can't tell me he isn't gorgeous."

At this, Blair looked up from her task and narrowed her eyes, "Well, you're more than welcome to him, if you like."

"But you don't deny he's gorgeous?" she grinned as Blair grumbled at this.

"Anyways," Serena continued, "I don't think he's looking at _me_."

Rather than try to rebuff her, Blair chose to go with misdirection, "How would you know? Could you and Nate flirt anymore?"

"He's fun! You remember what that is, right? It's that thing you're supposed to do after work?"

"I enjoy working!" Blair rebutted, "And you can't expect me to be a successful powerful woman if I'm running around dating every night."

"Not _every_night." Serena smiled, "And this is part work, and part _vacation_. So if you want to try and snag a Bass, I certainly won't judge you for it. Just think how beautiful your children would be."

"Trying to marry me off and have me pregnant all in one breath?" Blair just shook her head, "I thought the plan was to have _you_ happily married, and I'll go work for one of the big corporate firms while you make all the pretty babies."

Now, it was Serena who shook her head, "Oh B, as if love and happiness are things you can plan for."

"Doesn't seem to keep you from trying, does it?" Blair replied, watching as Serena playfully stuck out her tongue, "Uh huh. Come on, work first, then you can play."

* * *

><p>Chuck quietly sat out on the front patio scanning the article open on his phone. He was curious to understand what Serena had meant by being Blair's sister, and what had happened to Blair's 'perfect' life that had caused her severe reaction when he mentioned it. Her parents' death had been in the papers, and there were a few tasteless photos of a young Blair at the funeral, clinging to a willowy stoic Serena. He had not been much younger when his mother had passed away, and his heart ached as he looked at the photo. He knew intimately what she felt- yet, he had only lost his mother. In some ways, it was better and worse. He had to witness what her death did to his father.<p>

"Whatcha doing?" Nate hovered over Chuck's shoulder.

Chuck quickly shut off the phone's screen, "Nothing, just... enjoying the fresh air."

Nate saw enough to make out the name Waldorf on the screen and grinned, "Sure..."

The boys sat together on the porch simply relaxing. After awhile, they saw Blair and Serena with Emma walking the grounds. Nate finally broke the silence, wondering aloud, "Did Eric ever say he had an adopted sister?"

"I'm not sure. The times we spent with him outside of the library weren't exactly social calls."

Nate laughed softly, remembering the parties, and the times they would all go drinking together, "You have a point there."

He watched as the girls walked along. For a moment, Blair clearly turned to steal a glance at Chuck. Nate looked at Chuck, watching a strange expression pass over his friend's face.

For his part, Chuck stared into those brown eyes again. It was only a moment, but the riot of feelings it stirred in him; she twisted together so beautifully before him. The girl in the photo, the fiery woman he sat next to at dinner, the sadness, the drive in her- he saw it in her because it lived inside of him, too.

The girls had walked out of sight once more, and Chuck reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. All this quiet and country air must be getting to him. The cacophony of the city would have shut out such sympathy, this connection he was imagining- for he had hardly even had a proper conversation with Blair. But inside... inside his heart, he wanted to hold her, to kiss her, to create from their shared loss...

"Chuck..." Nate disrupted his thoughts. "What are you..."

But he cut off his friend, "Don't, Nate. Not right now."

With that, Chuck stood and left the patio to walk off some of his frustration and annoyance. He was going to go mad if this was how his time in Vermont was to continue.

* * *

><p>After seeing the grounds, Blair managed to sneak off to a small garden without Serena. She found a bench under a pretty little arbor and pulled open her book, enjoying the sun, the quiet, and the written word.<p>

Chuck had at last relaxed once more when he happened upon Blair in the garden. She looked... content, reading under the late afternoon sun. In a desire to not disturb her, he of course became horribly noticeable. She looked up from her book with wide eyes.

"Please... I didn't mean to disturb your solitude." Chuck tried to leave.

"No, please, not at all. I think we can agree we will hardly be able to avoid each other for the entire length of this trip?" Blair gave him a small smile.

"This is true." Chuck forfeited, walking towards her, as Blair moved aside on the bench so he could sit next to her. To distract from the sensation of being so near to her, he glanced down at the book in her hands, "May I?"

She handed the book to him and he studied the page for a moment before reading some to her.

_A sunset with a sun is no sunset at all._

_A life without love is no life at all._

He paused here before reading another poignant line of the poem.

_Life without our love, is an emptiness I'm not sure I wish to face._

Chuck's ire with himself was rising again as he thought of his childhood, his parents, once more. He had seen the love his parents had for one another and when his mother died- his fathers life was no life at all without her. And after Nate's lecture in the car, Chuck had to ask himself if a life without love was an emptiness he wanted to face?

Blair loved the sound of the words when he read them, his voice warm and deep, and the way his mouth formed the words. But then she saw the tension on his face, felt it in the air, unsure of what he could be reading into the poem. So she attempted to pull him from these thoughts, "I'm afraid you have discovered I am a romantic at heart, Mr. Bass."

This made him grin, "My friends call me 'Chuck' - and I think we must be friends for me to know such an intimate fact about you. Though, if that is the case, I should probably know how badly you are afflicted with this romantic inclination?"

"Oh," Blair had a very serious look on her face, though her eyes twinkled, "Very badly I'm afraid. Perhaps one of the worst cases in history? Flowers and cupids and sappy declarations of love. Princess meets her perfect prince, ruling their perfect little world together. But, I am smart about it in one sense."

"Is that so?" Chuck replied, quirking one eyebrow in curiosity.

"I know better than to dare dream of it for myself. I think it possible for everyone but me. I can at least make sure Serena has her fairytale."

"What about me, do you suppose? Do cynical rich boys get fairytale endings?"

Blair blushed at the words she had spoken this morning, they were far from polite- even if she had been cornered. "Of course, you will! You will find your perfect girl, who will be the perfect wife and socialite, hosting fabulous dinners and exquisite parties, all while raising your incredible children. There's nothing to keep you from having it all."

Chuck laughed a little at the flawless image she painted for him, "And you believe that's what I want?"

"How can it not be?"

"You paint a pretty picture, but it's full of duty and expectation. All ice, no fire- no passion. I want someone who will make life worth living- light and fire- a woman with spirit and drive." He studied Blair's face as he said all of this, part of his mind trying to work out when he had decided all these things he was saying. Her expression was open, intrigued by his words. He leaned into her more, one hand reaching up to tuck an errant curl behind her ear.

Blair breathed in deeply as he moved towards her; the scent of his cologne was heady, her heart raced when he touched her hair. She gazed up into his eyes, her lips parting instinctively as she titled her head. Anything was possible in that moment and she wanted to be suspended in the deliciousness of it forever.

The supreme intimacy of such a small gesture was something new for Chuck. And the look on her face- she was perfectly kissable, her mouth almost pouting at him, expecting him to discover its softness. But... he could not- he was no fairytale. "I..."

He paused a moment, briefly wishing to be what she was looking for, but settling on his desire to comfort the girl in the photo he never knew. "I'm sorry... for what I said about your parents."

Blair instantly stiffened at Chuck's sudden change of topic, her blood cooling at the memories and emotions tied to her parents, to her loss. She turned her head away from him, trying to gather her countenance from the rapid shift in her feelings.

But Chuck was adamant she heard his apology. Turning her face back to his, saying to her what no one had ever truly said to him when his mother passed away. "I didn't know what I was saying. I'm sorry you had to go through that, all alone."

She refused to meet his eyes as his strong hand, firm yet gentle, held her still. He was reaching for a part of her she allowed almost no one to touch and her stubbornness rose to the occasion. Blair's eyes lifted to meet his, fire shining through once more, "I wasn't alone! I always had Serena; we've always had each other. She has always been my real family."

Blair saw a deep sadness fill Chuck's dark brown eyes, a weak smile on his lips, his hand at last dropping away from her face. "My mother may have died first, but she took our whole family with her."

Feeling instantly remorseful at her defensive response, she hastily replied, "I'm sorry, I... no one ever read anything like _that_ in the papers."

To return his kindness, to show she understood, she reached out and taking his hand, gave it the smallest squeeze. Warmth instantly spread through her at their joined hands. Blair suspected he felt it too, for he stared at their hands for a moment before looking up at her again, his eyes wide, questioning. Questioning her, this, these moments they had shared, the palpable tension in the air that seemed to keep pulling them closer together. So she rebelled, too afraid to ask the same questions or wonder at their answers, she hid in politeness. Withdrawing her hand, she quietly excused herself to get ready for dinner.

Chuck watched her go, completely uncertain of anything that had passed between them. In the space of five minutes, they had been two lost, broken children, two playful friends, and... a man and a woman. There was something there, and that she ran before they could learn more of it meant she had felt it, too. But all this just made him more restless than before. Standing, he realized he still held her book. He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. Nate was certainly going to ask him about where he had been now.

* * *

><p>Nate had been mending his appearance in the bathroom when Chuck returned, quickly setting the book on his nightstand as though it were meant to be there. They dressed for dinner and walked up to the main house. Professor Waverly was serving as the maitre d, happily greeting his old students when they arrived. The back of the house was a large open space, a beautiful bar along one side, numerous tables for dining, a floor space to dance, a stage off to one side for a live band, and a raised lounge area in the front, with a great fire place, an elegant piano, and walls covered with books. There were a few other couples scattered through the space, and not long after being seated, the girls joined Chuck and Nate at their table.<p>

Chuck momentarily realized he was having dinner with the same woman twice, and in a row. That briefly disturbed him as he watched Blair take the seat next to him, until he looked at the fabric of her dress move with her hips, the way it clung to her torso and emphasized the fullness of her breasts. He mentally groaned because of his wandering eye, and at Nate. If he had known he was going to be trapped in the country for days, with a beautiful girl, he could have arranged to take care of his physical needs beforehand. His mind took it to the next step, imagining Blair taking care of his need; what her cries of pleasure might sound like, how her fiery brown eyes would grow hazy, the feel of her naked body against his. He had to force his mind to stop, and pay attention. He was going to kill Nate.

For her part, Blair was still feeling a bit uncertain after their last encounter. Chuck looked gorgeous and he gazed at her with a pleasant, lazy little smile. She felt her heart beating, pounding against her ribcage, all of it combining to make her feel a little bit giddy. Being close to him once more, she was trying _not_ to think about the kiss that nearly was, berating her curiosity. He was an infamous playboy and she was a serious woman. Thankfully, Nate asked how their afternoon of exploring turned out.

"I think you can see for yourselves what a great location this is. I'm so glad Eric suggested it to us as something far away from the city to offer as a potential venue. New York will always be New York, but you'd be surprised how many people want something different on occasion. It's just so sad to see it so terribly empty..." Serena replied.

Emma was making rounds to check on the guests, and had come to stop at their table.

"Emma, what's the story? How did your father-in-law end up running an inn?" Nate asked, his friendly blue eyes shining.

"It was his son, actually. It was our dream. Paul was in the army, and when the professor retired, I had little Susan... it made sense, though Paul was still serving. It made all of us happy, gave us a sense of purpose, imagining and rebuilding this place. But... Paul was killed in action last year, and suddenly it meant that much more to him. He's poured everything into this place, his pension, his life savings, all of it." Emma was solemn as she concluded her story.

"Oh, Emma... I'm sorry!" Serena reached up and squeezed the woman's hand, "If we knew, we would not have asked."

"No, it is good to talk about Paul. And, it's made the professor so happy to have all of you here. I hope you know how much it means to him to see you boys again." She smiled at them a moment, before continuing her rounds.

Nate sighed, "If only there were something we could do..."

"There is," Chuck replied, "I'm going to New York in the morning."

"But you just got here!" Serena cried.

"We have some connections, we should be able to do something for him," Chuck explained.

"But that would take too long, the problem is here, now," Nate replied, tapping his finger on the table for emphasis, "We have to stay here and dream up some way of getting people into this place."

"Well, what do _you_ suggest?" Chuck asked.

"Oh, I don't know," Nate floundered, "It should be something unusual, some sort of novelty."

"Tell me, what do you think would be a novelty up here in Vermont?" Chuck countered.

"Who knows?" grumbled Nate.

"If you ask me," Serena chimed in, "what this place needs is traffic- lots of people. A big event!"

"Now, you're talking!" Nate slammed his fist on the table in excitement, "Something really big, like..."

"Like a Bass Industries event?" Serena offered.

"No, no, that's too big..." Nate furrowed his brow, deep in thought, "Wait. Bass Industries! How about that? We could have some sort of holiday party here next week?"

"That could be something. It's a great idea, well, half a great idea anyhow." Chuck started to rise from his seat, "Will you excuse me?"

The trio watched him walk outside with his phone in hand. The girls then turned their attention to Nate, curious to understand more of what had just happened. Nate shook his head, "I don't know what he's up to, but he has that look in his eyes."

Blair looked concerned, "Is that bad?"

"Not bad," Nate sighed, "But _always_ expensive."

After pausing a moment, Nate also excused himself to join Chuck outside.

Chuck was walking along the back porch, "I know it sounds crazy, Lesa, but you need to cancel the Plaza and push everything up. Everyone needs to be here, the board, all the major guests. Fly them in, with their entire families if you have to. Nate and I will be here working with the girls, so make sure to push everything through accounting."

Nate tapped insistently on Chuck's shoulder, "What's this going to cost?"

"How much is this going to set us back, Lesa?" Chuck and Nate waited expectantly, "Wow..."

Nate gripped Chuck's arm, "How much is wow?"

"Well, okay, Lesa, you just do the best you can." Chuck hung up his phone.

"How much is wow?" Nate repeated anxiously, turning to face Chuck.

"We've got a big job ahead of us, Nate!" Chuck was excited.

Nate curled his hands around Chuck's jacket lapels, pleading, "How much is wow?"

"Right in between 'ouch' and 'boing'." Nate's hands slipped away, his eyes going wide, and Chuck turned to return to dinner.

"Wow..." Nate uttered, before following Chuck.

Walking through the door, Emma assaulted the boys, "I won't tell the professor; you can do it your own way, but you boys just..." Her eyes were watering.

"How did you know?" Chuck furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Like any good housekeeper, I listened through the window. I just don't know what to say!" Emma grabbed Nate and planted a huge kiss on him.

Nate's eyes went huge, and when she let go, all he could say was, "He thought of it!" and pointed to Chuck.

"Well, it was a lovely thought!" And Emma planted a huge kiss on Chuck, too.

Chuck was equally shocked, but enjoyed it nonetheless, quite pleased with himself, and the passion Emma exuded. He was quite ready for more when she stepped back, "Wow..."

Nate just chuckled and grabbed his friend, "Come on, get a hold of yourself."

Emma just stood there with a watery smile and tried to dry her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>More of Georgia's beautiful editing at work. Not much else to say with this update- did you REALLY think they were going to kiss this fast? I'm crueler than that :D Blame it on Sabrina Fairchild, I want to work on writing more sexual tension in my stories- like hers! lol. Let me know if you enjoyed it by leaving a review? <strong>


	5. Listen

White Christmas

Listen

The next morning, Serena drafted plans for the best ways to use and design the space, while Blair was on the phone. It was quite a sight for the boys to behold, never having seen Blair in work mode. Sunday morning or no, she was calling in every favor and connection she had for launching the Bart Bass Education Trust- in just under two weeks.

Professor Waverly was in general flabbergasted, "You're having a big event for Bass Industries- here?"

"Well, we need to have this big launch party for the new trust..." Nate replied.

"Why here?" The professor interjected.

"You have this nice big empty event space, and it's an inn. The minute Nate and I saw it, we decided it was ideal, didn't we Nate?" Chuck defended.

"That's right, Chuck. Ideal. That's exactly the word we used, ideal. We looked at this great big hall and said isn't it ideal, absolutely ideal." Nate rambled on.

"We've established the fact that the inn is ideal." The professor was trying not to laugh at Nate's antics.

"And it gives the girls a chance to test a new venue, and for us to see their work." Chuck added.

"Well, I suppose I'd best leave you to your work then? There's apparently quite a bit I don't understand about corporations." The professor gave the boys a small smile.

"Aw, it will come to you, sir. We wouldn't be any good as professors." Nate replied.

"You weren't any good as students." The professor joked with a mischievous smile before walking away. Nate looked wounded and Chuck just laughed. Nate then scowled at Chuck for a moment before going to sit with Serena, who was sketching at a nearby table.

Chuck watched them smile at one another and begin talking. He felt a little envious, and his mind instantly wondered if Blair was still on the phone. He turned, and searching the space for her, he spotted her on the stage. She had climbed a ladder to investigate the curtains. As he walked to her, she finished her task and began stepping down. It was cliched, and some would call it fate, but just as he reached her, Blair misstepped, and fell into his arms. The angle was awkward, and he nearly fell in the process, but she was safe.

Blair had let out a small cry when she began to fall, but now in Chuck's arms, she was quite silent. Her breathing was slightly labored and she stared at the little white Burberry Prorsum logo on his red shirt for a moment as she absorbed the feel of how perfect his arms felt wrapped around her. No longer dazed from her fall, she looked up at his face. There was the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, and his brown eyes were warm as he returned her gaze.

Clearing her throat, she pulled away, trying to gather her composure, "Thank you, I... I suppose Ferragamo pumps aren't meant for climbing ladders."

"But Chanel flats wouldn't look half as good with that skirt." Chuck said, teasingly.

"It's true. A girl cannot expect to achieve the glorious heights of her dreams in flats alone. At least several good pairs of pumps are required." Blair laughed a little.

"But when it is time to chase your dreams, without compromise, I find bare feet are best." Chuck was smiling again.

"Chuck Bass... and bare feet? Now, that is an image to ponder." Blair furrowed her brow in disbelief.

"Why? Are there other images of me you have been pondering?" He was openly flirting now, and his sweet smile had become a smirk.

"Certainly not, Bass!" Blair was indignant at his accusation, "I'm not you- I don't have your... reputation."

Chuck leaned in close to her, "But you're still a woman. You have needs... and desires," he purred.

Her blood ran hot through her veins, but she was not going to do this. Not here, not with _him_. So she pursed her lips a moment, straightened her spine, and pushing her long hair back over her shoulder she replied, "The _only_ thing I have right now, is work to do."

"Well, I'm here, if you should lose your balance again. After all, what man doesn't enjoy saving a beautiful woman?" He knew she was annoyed, but he could not help but continue to flirt with her.

For Blair's part she simply could not take anymore of him and turned abruptly, marching off the stage.

Chuck felt the rush of cool air as she left him, but he was still smiling because she was so much fun. Fun, and beautiful, and... he sighed ever so slightly before turning and walking off in the other direction, in search of some way to make himself feel useful.

Serena and Nate were all smiles. "I wonder if Blair knows how much of a flirt she really is?" her sister mused.

"Probably not. Though, I imagine that must run in the family." Nate gave her a dazzling smile.

Serena's mouth formed a perfect little 'o' before she playfully smacked him several times in the arm, "You take that back, Nathaniel Archibald!"

"I have no intention of doing such a thing, as it is absolutely the truth." He was still smiling and he grabbed her arms. Serena blushed, giving him a little smile before sheepishly glancing back over at her sketches. Her arms slid free of his hold and she cleared her throat, "So... what colors are you thinking would be best?"

Nate wished they could play more; if there had not been quite so much work to be done.

* * *

><p>Blair was nestled up in the library's window seat that afternoon with her notes, sorting what had been completed today and what needed to be done tomorrow. She glanced up from her work for a moment, thinking, when she saw Professor Waverly walking towards her with a small tray. She sat her things aside, sitting up properly, and moving to make room for him next to her.<p>

He sat the tray down between them before sitting, "I did not want you to work too hard, and thought you could use refreshment. Serena said you liked peppermint tea?"

The professor kindly offered her a cup and saucer, the scent of her favorite tea made her perk up and smile, "I do, thank you."

"And you must try the madeleines, they are a recipe from Emma's French grandmother." He now held up the little plate for her.

Taking a cookie, she continued to smile, "As long as they are not Proustian..." Blair teased, making the professor laugh.

"I don't think I would mind so much if they were. Having a bit of my past, with Nate and Chuck here, is quite a treat." He sipped his tea.

"What were they like as students?" Blair asked as she relished the taste of the sweet little cookie.

"They were good boys, just as they have become good men. They were not without their mischief..." At this, he sat his saucer down, and went to retrieve a book from one of the shelves. The Greek letters for Kappa Alpha were engraved on the front and he flipped it open. There was Chuck and Nate, grinning up from the page, both perfect messes, and Nate with a stylish bandana tied to his arm.

"What happened here!" Blair asked, tapping Nate's arm.

"Paintball mishap. I hear Nate went down in a blaze of glory in order to cover Chuck. They were a dynamic pair from almost the minute they met." The professor laughed a little, turning further into the book. He showed her a photo of the boys at a table in the library, books and papers spread out before them, and a third boy...

"Eric!" Blair's face lit up at the photo of her adopted brother.

More pages, more photos: Chuck and Nate in tuxedos for dinner with the dean, Nate and Chuck with their fraternity brothers through the years, their formal senior portraits, and near the back of this particular section, were Chuck and Nate and the professor on the day of graduation with their diplomas. The professor smiled softly, murmuring, "They always did the idea of brotherhood justice. I am glad to see they are still so close after all these years. Especially with Chuck's father passing away last month. When I saw the photos in the paper, it was a relief to see Nate at his side."

"Had you ever met Bart Bass?" Blair was curious, as she snuck a second cookie.

"A few times, only briefly. He had a very commanding presence- but then, I've seen that in Chuck, too. To see them together, you could sense there was something... missing between them. And Chuck always tried to hide how eager he was to see some sign of pride, a sign that he had done something right, from his father. I hoped they both found what they needed from one another before he passed. Do you happen to know...?" The professor now asked her.

Blair shook her head, "I... I actually just met Chuck," she felt sheepish at the admission, "I don't really know what to make of him, to be honest."

"Funny..." The professor mused.

"Hmm?"

"From the way he looks at you, I get the impression he knows exactly what to make of you." He chuckled at the bewildered expression on Blair's face.

"But..." She stumbled for a reply.

"Just call it an old man's intuition, if you like. I know Chuck, and I know enough of what he's done since he left school. He's worked hard- perhaps too hard. He needs some softness- some sweetness, in his life. And for whatever reason, Ms. Waldorf, he appears a bit sweet... on you." At this, the professor stood, taking the tea tray, and left her to her thoughts.

But Blair could not sit with here thoughts. She felt overly anxious, and gathering her things, she went back to her cabin. Serena sat on her bed with her laptop, glancing up as Blair sat her things down, "Hey B... what are you doing?"

"I thought I'd go on a walk before dinner. Clear my head, get some air..." Blair dropped her things and was quickly out the door, walking into the woods before Serena could pull her shoes on.

Serena popped outside and knocked on the door to Nate and Chuck's cabin across the way. Nate pulled the door open, smiling the moment he clapped eyes on her, "Hi, Serena."

Seeing Nate's smile distracted her just long enough, making her mirror his smile, before she remembered what she was doing, "Blair just went for a walk in the woods... alone. I don't suppose you know where..."

Nate cleared his throat, "Oh, you'd like me go up to the main house with you? Just let me get my coat and shoes..."

Sitting to hastily put his shoes on, he looked over at Chuck, who was reading a book on his bed, "I hate to think of you in here alone..." Nate paused, "You've been indoors all day, why not get some air before dinner, a nice walk?"

Chuck looked up from the page, glancing out the window. It was still quite nice out, and he supposed he should be enjoying the countryside. "That's not such a bad idea, Nathaniel."

He rose from the bed, slipped on a tweed sport jacket and his shoes, and joined Serena and Nate as they departed. He turned towards the forest, but not before pausing to look back at the blond pair. Nate had his arm around Serena and laugher bubbled from them. Their happiness made him smile and he chuckled a moment, imagining perhaps Nate would fine another way to get his forty-five minutes a day to himself.

As he walked, Chuck flipped open the book he had been reading. It was Blair's book, a collection of romantic poems and quotes. He was not intrigued so much by the published contents of the book, but rather the notes and markings Blair had made in it. It was a small study of the woman herself, jotted in the margins. The most furious set of notes surrounded a wonderful short line by Virgil:

_Now I know what love is._

While what Blair had said about believing she would never have her own fairy tale, that it was only meant for her sister, may be true, she was clearly taken with the idea of love. That she seemed to deny herself the experience made her obsessed with the concept of the thing she would never have.

Between Nate's lecture yesterday, talking with Blair in the garden, and the way he felt when he was around her, Chuck was experiencing an upheaval of emotions he had pushed aside for years... and years. Did he know what love is? Do great businessmen have the time, have the capacity, to fall in love? He thought of his parents together, and then his father after his mother died. Yes. Long ago, Bart Bass had fallen in love, had a family, and was a successful businessman. So what was his problem? New York City had every kind of woman to offer- he would know, and yet... he was bored with them.

There was a rustling noise, and looking up, he saw Blair, and unconsciously smiled at her.

"Chuck!" Blair was startled to see the cause of her chaotic train of thought before her.

"I was just reading your book. I hope you don't mind?" Chuck was still smiling softly as he looked at her. The sun was setting and the light was golden, but it had begun to grow cool out. Blair had no jacket and her cheeks had spots of pink. He stepped closer to her, and shrugged off his tweed coat, "Here, you are cold."

Blair could not look at him as he wrapped his coat around her shoulders, the scent of him engulfed her and it went straight to her head; he smelled like a man, and it spoke straight to her desires, making her want to bury herself in his arms. She thanked heaven she did have some modicum of self-control as she slipped her arms into the sleeves. The cuffs came over her hands, making her smile, which she tried to hide behind her now tweed-covered hands.

The sight was adorable and Chuck's heart skipped with the happiness of making Blair smile. But he saw her eyes grow sad after a moment. She must have seen the smile slip from his face as she looked up at him for a moment.

As she confessed, Blair looked away from him again, "I... used to like wearing my father's jackets..." after a brief pause she raised her head high, tousling her hair back, and met his gaze, "Have you learned much from my book?"

"I would have to say so." He mused, and staring into her eyes he spoke, "We are all born for love; it is the principle of existence and its only end."

Inside, Blair wanted to run, run from the look in his eyes, his voice, his words, even if it was just a quotation. Her mind felt fuzzy and she could not focus her thoughts as he stared at her, and his scent wrapped around her and... his coat, it was so warm. But she fought herself and after a beat, gathered her composure and held strong, "Of course you would quote Benjamin Disraeli to me!"

"Does that somehow invalidate the truthfulness of his statement?" Chuck was grinning.

"The truthfulness omits the danger of the thing. For alas, the love of women. It is known to be a lovely and a fearful thing." Blair replied with Lord Byron.

"Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." Chuck now quoted Tennyson, and it made his heart pound in his chest. His own words scared him, and he could see they scared her, too. But in his fear he did not want to run, he wanted the opposite as he stared into her wide brown eyes.

Blair gasped as he pulled her into his arms. She hid her face in his shirt, only to drown in the delicious scent of him, forcing her to slip her arms around his waist for fear of falling. One of his hands came up to cup her cheek and tilt her head back so he may look at her again.

As he gazed down at her, he saw that her cheeks were still pink. Her mouth was soft, almost pouting, her eyes were a warm hazy brown. He tilted his head from one side, slowly to the other as he observed her, studied her perfection. He began to give into the pull he felt towards her, leaning down...

The sound of a furious violin filled the air, the intensity of Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons shattering the moment. They both froze a moment before Blair managed to softly say, "It's time for dinner..."

Chuck dejectedly forfeited, releasing her, and taking a step back. Blair reached inside her pocket for her phone, turning the alarm off. She looked back up from him a moment, her lower lip caught between her teeth.

With the tiniest smirk hiding his frustration and disappointment, "I'm starting to dislike dinner immensely."

Blair crumbled under the pressure of the moment between them, the moment that had been lost, just now and the one she had run from the night before.

"I..." she tried to calm her racing heart, "I'll see you at dinner." She managed to say before pushing past him, eager to be safe inside her room.

"We only part to meet again." Chuck replied with a certain amount of smug satisfaction at flustering her so completely. He heard her huff before she turned on her heels.

"I'm taking my book back, before you can quote every word to me!" She tried to pull the book from his hands, but he denied her, grinning and laughing as she stubbornly fought him. Without releasing the book, he allowed her to drag him all the way back to the cabins.

"Chuck!" She whined.

"No. I'm not done reading it yet."

"But I didn't even lend it to you, I just..." _Left __it __with __you __when __you __distracted __me!_

Chuck leaned over her, his mouth pressed close to her ear, "I promise no harm will come to it."

Blair was fully prepared to die. His heat, his scent, his voice, his body, his mouth so... so close... and then. Checkmate. He place a short sweet kiss on her cheek, causing her to release the book at last.

Chuck smiled and winked at her before he turned and lazily strolled back to his cabin, thinking, _you, __Blair __Waldorf, __are __certainly __not __boring_.

* * *

><p>AN: Omg, you had to read a chapter not edited by anyone but me! That should probably show just how well I'm doing at the moment :P<p>

Inside Notes: Love to Asian!Chuck, the Burberry polo Chuck wears, in red, is the one I bought him that he wears all the time, lol. Peppermint tea- that was me and my favorite ^_^ And hugs and kisses and a wink to Emilie as to Proust and his Madeline's :)

How was it? I hate not being able to have Georgia sign off on it, but we're both insanely busy :( I'm going to work really hard, but I can't promise I'll be able to finish this whole story in :gasp: a WEEK!


	6. The Best Things Happen

White Christmas

The Best Things Happen...

All of Monday, Blair did her best to stay as far away from Chuck as she could. At dinner the night before, Chuck had stared at her the whole time, and she could hardly eat. She escaped to the cabin as fast as she reasonably could, but she slept horribly, waking even before her alarm went off at 6AM. Her energy felt so pent up, she did the unthinkable and went for a run. It felt good, the air burning in her lungs, the music pounding in her ears, it was exactly what she needed. But back in the cabin, stepping under the shower, she was thinking of him again. Her skin... she could remember how it felt when he was holding her. Closing her eyes, she saw his face, saw him looking at her with... that look. Intrigued... amused... and... hungry. She shivered under the warm water.

So Blair did what she had always done best. Work. She was a tempest, on her phone, the computer, going over the venue and lists. No one _wanted_ to be near her if they could help it. Once Chuck saw her in the morning, he hardly needed anyone to tell him to give Blair some space today. But he did observe the fury she wrought, admiring her astounding force, how unyielding she was. His analytical mind, the business side of him, was pleased with her commanding power. His more... creative mind, imagined unleashing her energy in a more _private_ place. He began to daydream, pinning her to the wall, or beneath him on the bed, wondering if her energy in the bedroom was as insatiable as his.

Now completely frustrated, Chuck decided he needed a cold shower. He had not seen the funshine twins for awhile, but then again, they seemed to be more than enough company for each other. This made him groan. At least one of them might get some action.

At dinner that evening, Blair looked exhausted. Chuck worried about her stubbornness, did she know her own limits? It seemed Serena had noticed, but was not overly concerned. But he still did not like how she looked.

Not really certain why she had come to dinner, except out of habit, Blair was happy to relax long enough to enjoy her meal. She was tired from such a long day, and as she watched Serena and Nate, she smiled a little, but felt a small stab of bitterness, too. They were such a beautiful pair and it was plain to see how much liked one another. She prodded the food on her plate for a few moments, trying to push the unpleasant sensation aside.

Then, at last, she gave in and did something she had not allowed herself to do all day. Worrying her lower lip between her teeth, she peeked up at Chuck through her lashes. He had been watching her, a worried look on his face. But when he saw she was looking at him, he gave her a small smile. His eyes were so beautiful, and that little smile spoke volumes; it was luring her out of her hiding place, telling her it was okay to come out. Raising her head up higher, she met his gaze properly.

This gave him the confidence to finally speak to her, "How was your day?"

"Good. I got many of the details sorted out between yesterday and today. There will only be small things to do until things begin arriving next week for set-up."

"That is quite impressive. It must feel good." He replied.

"It does. Though now I'm mostly looking forward to falling asleep early." At this, Blair finally smiled at him.

A pretty strand of her hair had slipped down from her coiffure, the glossy curl accentuating the long pale line of her neck. It made Chuck's fingers itch and he could not help himself. Leaning towards her, he reached out to feel her silky hair between his fingers and reverently tuck it behind her ear.

Blair wanted to melt into the floor at his closeness. He had that look in his eyes... that hunger. Her lips were tingling, craving his mouth, and it was hard to breath. Swallowing hard, she cleared her throat, "I think... my exhaustion... I'd best go to bed now, excuse me."

With a flurry, Blair left the table. Nate and Serena watched her go and then turned to see the sad look of longing on Chuck's face. The two blonds looked at one another, worried. When Serena returned to the cabin a short while later, Blair was taking a bath. Clearly her sister was not ready to talk to her.

* * *

><p>After her bath, Blair sat in her bed, grumpily fluffing her pillow and wiggling in the sheets. Serena had spotted Chuck wandering back to the main house from their cabin and Nate peeking out the window nodding his head towards the house with a smile. Serena had winked at him in reply.<p>

"Anything wrong?" She asked Blair.

"No, no, I'm just restless." Blair fluffed her pillow again.

"Maybe you'd feel better if you had something to drink? Or a snack? I'm sure you could grab something at the bar..." Serena sat down on her bed.

"Serena... go to sleep." Blair slipped under her covers.

Tucking her feet under the sheets, Serena perked up, "They say if you eat something right before you go to sleep..."

"S..." Blair grumbled.

"No, no, they say it drains the blood from the head, in case you are thinking anything or... anyone... or, anything." Serena nodded her head emphatically.

Blair grumbled again and started to crawl out of bed, "Alright, okay... fine, I'll go and get something. Not because I want something, but because if I don't get something, you won't go to sleep." She stood and slipped a long black coat over her light brown pajamas with dark brown trim, tucking her feet into a pair of Chanel pumps. Serena nestled down into her bed watching with big blue eyes and a little smile as Blair went out the door. As soon as Blair departed, Serena rushed to the window and smiled at Nate.

Blair stepped into the bar area to see Chuck leaning against the mahogany countertop, a glass of scotch between his hands. She felt the pink on her cheeks shift from being a result of the cold air to something else entirely as he looked up at her.

"What brings you out at this hour, after such a long day?" He asked her with a small smile.

"I couldn't sleep..." She replied, a tinge of shame at her response.

"Aren't you a bit past the age for that?" Chuck's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Aren't you going to offer a girl a drink?" Blair lifted a well groomed eyebrow in question at him.

Chuck stood and moved behind the bar, "What will you have?"

"What are my options?"

"It's pretty well stocked back here..." Chuck perused the bottles, "I suppose if you tell me what you want to dream about?"

"What I want to dream about?"

"Well, if you force me to make one of those awful fruity concoctions, you're liable to have terribly silly dreams. Unreasonable flights of fancy that make your hangover that much worse in the morning- as every sorority girl knows." Chuck wrinkled his nose at this.

"Now, a nice martini- dirty, twisted, or straight up, those dreams will be cool and bright, but not always the most comforting. However..." Chuck pulled a tumbler down for her and reached for the carafe on the countertop, "I have always found scotch warm and soothing. It let's you go back without feeling all the pain..."

Blair stared into his brown eyes as he watched the scotch slide into the tumbler. She smiled... not just because he was beautiful, or being sweet, but because she knew intimately what he was speaking of and it pulled her even closer to him. Their fingers brushed as he pushed the scotch towards her, and the connection made her shiver.

"Here, we should sit by the fire." Chuck picked up his glass and as they moved to the other side of the large room, his hand came to rest on the small of her back. Rather than coming to sit on one of the several chairs by the fire, Chuck stepped over to the piano that was a pleasant distance from the large old fireplace. Blair shrugged off her coat before leaning against the glossy black instrument and Chuck slid onto the bench, his fingers touching the keys for a moment.

"Do you play?" Blair asked before taking a sip from her glass. The scotch felt warm and relaxing, just like he promised.

"Yes... My father did too, or at least, he used to before my mother..." Chuck pulled his fingers away from the keys and took a long sip from his glass.

"My mother used to make me take piano and voice lessons..." Blair murmured, pulling on her own heartstrings to offer a memory of her loss to mingle with his.

"Some nights, my father would play, and sing this one song to my mother. They were so happy- we, were so happy then. And even when he was dying..." Chuck inhaled deeply, raking a hand though his hair.

"This time of year... the holidays always remind me of happy times with my family..." The sadness and loss was palpable in the air, and Blair bit her lower lip a moment, before seeking solace in someone else. "Would you... might you consider singing the song for me? Maybe it will help both of us to sleep?"

Chuck looked up from the piano keys and into those warm brown eyes that had captured him from the moment he first saw her. They were deep, and he was pulled in by the mix of beauty and loss he saw in them. For a moment, he pictured his father at the piano, his mother leaning against it in her pajamas just like Blair was at this moment. He felt his throat close up from the heartache of the past and the beauty of the present. Count your blessing, his father had reminded him. He had not wanted to entertain the thought, but maybe... perhaps, Blair Waldorf might be one of his blessings?

Clearing his throat, he positioned his hands over the keys, "Only for a trade... one song, for one kiss?"

Blair flushed pink instantly, and quickly hid behind her reply, "You must be quite good on the piano?"

They both simultaneously imagined what Chuck could do _on_ the piano, and he smirked at her as her blush of pink deepened. "Is it a deal Miss Waldorf?"

"With such a build up, I am too curious to say no, Mr. Bass. And it is just one kiss." Blair tried to gather her composure.

Chuck just smiled. He would always know the words to the song, and one of his favorite memories was of his mother teaching him to play the simple piano part.

_When I'm worried, and I can't sleep_

_I count my blessings instead of sheep_

_and I fall asleep counting my blessings_

_When my bank roll is getting small,_

_I think of when I had none at all,_

_And I fall asleep counting my blessings_

_I think about a nursery, and I picture curly heads,_

_and one by one, I count them, _

_as they slumber in their beds._

_If you're worried you can't sleep,_

_Just count your blessings instead of sheep,_

_and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings._

Chuck played the piano reprise as he continued to watch Blair. The scotch he had drunk earlier had softened him, and he allowed his imagination to picture their little child, inheriting Blair's soft curls, quietly sleeping in bed. What it would be like to have a family again...

Blair was caught up in feeling so many things. The detached part of her reeled at the concept that all these ideas she had about Bart Bass and his son could be so very wrong. The romantic in her was drowning in happiness. The way he had opened up to her, the way he was looking at her. Her rapidly beating heart was pushing her more and more towards falling in love with him. But she pushed her thoughts aside and lived in this beautiful moment with him. She too knew the song from all the old Hollywood movies she loved to watch. So she sang the ending to him.

_I think about a nursery, and I picture curly heads,_

_and one by one, I count them, _

_as they slumber in their beds._

_If you're worried you can't sleep,_

_Just count your blessings instead of sheep,_

_and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings._

"How do you...?" Chuck asked when the song ended, staring up at her, feeling his heart in his throat.

"We always watched it during the holidays. Father loved the songs and Mother always admired Edith Head's costumes. I haven't watched _White__Christmas_ in years though..." Blair felt she had been cracked wide open by the unexpected memory. She fidgeted with the glass of scotch, but it seemed Chuck could see right through her. He stood from the piano bench and turned her towards him.

"Blair..." Chuck lifted her chin so she had to look up into his eyes. It did nothing to help how he was feeling; how foolish to look into the pair of eyes that could so easily turn him back into a little boy. That idealistic little boy who admired the perfect picture of love his parents had made- the picture of love he held, hopeful, in his heart. The pull he felt towards her was as undeniable as gravity, and his head lowered to hers. The brush of their lips was tentative- curious to see if the pull and tension between them was real. The softness of her lips as their kiss grew stronger, more insistent, caused something in him to turn. Never... in all these years... He pulled her closer to him, the feel of her melting against him overloaded his senses. In all his years and experiences, Chuck realized, as his heart pounded in his ears and his head spun, that this is what a real kiss felt like.

Blair felt breathless and she held onto Chuck even tighter. She was consumed by a wave of heat. It radiated from him and ran straight into her veins. Chuck pushed her against the piano, her eyes rolling back behind closed eyelids as she felt the hardness of him through the thin fabric of her pajamas. She opened her mouth to him, wanting more, the feeling of him in her mouth fueling her desperation. His hands slid down her back to grasp her ass. The heat between her legs became flooded with wetness in anticipation, a deep moan escaping from deep inside. Her hands scratched the length of his neck, her mouth never leaving his as he lifted her atop the piano.

Outside, peeking through the window were two grinning blonds. At this point, Serena jumped in happiness and threw her arms around Nate. This was an excellent days progress. She gazed up at him, his arms wrapped around her waist, and blue eyes met blue. A little startled by the intimacy and the attraction she felt, she pulled away, "We should probably leave them to their business at this point..."

Nate nodded his head and she planted a small kiss on his check before bashfully scurrying back to her cabin. Nate just smiled as he ambled back to his.

Back inside, Chuck returned Blair's moan as her legs wrapped around his waist, forcing him to feel all he had aroused in her. He grasped at the buttons of her blouse, pulling them open, seeking out the soft, supple skin below. Suddenly, there was the sound of someone clearing their throat, mumbling an apology. Chuck turned on the spot, realizing they were in a very public space.

"Professor Waverly!" he exclaimed upon seeing his old teacher.

Blair was pulling her opened shirt closed, and Chuck stepped in front her, for once very ashamed of being caught.

The professor merely grinned, sheepish at unwittingly walking in on such a scene. "I'm sorry. I was uh, just after a little something for my sweet tooth."

He hurriedly stepped towards the bar, glancing back at the couple, "Though I see you already beat me to it." And giving them a little wink, he walked to the far end of the large room.

Blair had rebuttoned her pajama shirt and slipped down from the piano. Chuck turned back to her and she gazed up at him with her large brown eyes.

His mouth curved into a small smile, "You never finished your drink."

She lifted her coat, and pulled it over her shoulders, mirroring his smile, "I don't need to... I know exactly what I'm going to dream about tonight."

Her little hand was on his cheek and he leaned down to kiss her goodnight. After a few blissful moments she pulled away and began walking to the exit. She wished Professor Waverly a good night, his book tucked under his arm, a glass of milk in one hand, and a pile of cookies in the other.

Chuck took a moment to gather himself, trying to cool his blood and slow his rapid heartbeat. Professor Waverly was now walking back to his room, giving Chuck a wide smile as he said good night, looking like a proud father. It just make him feel sheepish again, and he finally returned to his cabin. He knew exactly what he was going to dream about tonight, too.

* * *

><p>Tuesday was an entirely different affair compared to Monday. Blair had a little work to do again in the morning, but Chuck stole her away for a walk and a picnic lunch. They just... talked, and laughed. She sat next to him, and he loved the blush that would creep into her cheeks when they would sometimes grow quiet and gaze into each others eyes. When she had finally let him kiss her again, it was sweet and wonderful. Their kiss grew more heated and they became tangled in one another.<p>

Until Blair's blasted phone went off. She gasped and shoved Chuck away, "Is it that late already? We must have been out here for hours!"

The sound of Vivaldi's winter ended as abruptly as it had begun when she handled the phone. Chuck stared at the device with pure loathing, "I could really learn to hate that phone."

Blair gave him a little smile and rolled her eyes. "Anyway," Chuck continued, "Winter? That is not you at all, Blair."

He reached out and stroked her soft cheek and she stared at him sweetly for a few moments. Then she snapped at him and batted his hand away, "No!" She half laughed at him, "We're meeting with the band to go over songs for the setlist before dinner."

Chuck shook his head sadly, he did not want this afternoon to ever end. They gathered up their things and headed back to the house. "I should find Nate so we can make a conference call with the office before the end of the day. I feel lazy watching you work so diligently."

When they returned to the inn, the blonds were not sitting at their usual table. Blair wondered, "Maybe Serena is helping the band unpack?"

Heading back stage, Chuck and Blair stopped dead in their tracks. They found them... Serena's skirt pushed up, a leg wrapped around Nate's waist, as they fiercely continued to make out. At least for the moment. If they had arrived several minutes later, it might be a completely different story.

"Oh my god, Serena!" Blair cried.

The couple pulled apart in surprise, Nate grinning, Serena with a mischievous little smile. Chuck smiled at his friend, "Good work."

"Chuck!" Blair gave him a nasty look and smack him in the arm.

"We're guys..." He lamely offered.

Blair grabbed her sister and dragged her off, "We have work to do..."

Chuck just shrugged his shoulders, "We do, too, actually. But I would have at least let you guys finish."

* * *

><p>After a few hours, Serena made Blair take a break to change for dinner. Back in the cabin, she touched up her makeup, slipped on a pretty pink dress, and pulled her hair up to cascade back down her neck. She was anxious to leave Serena to audition the band alone for too long, or the setlist would end up being nothing but Billboard's Top 100. So she hurried back to the house and sent Serena to change. Pausing in relief, she heard the band begin playing <em>The <em>_Best __Things __Happen __While __You__'__re __Dancing_. Her heart stopped beating a moment as she recalled last night, as she remembered holidays with her parents. Chuck appeared in front of her, offering his hand, "Dance with me?"

Blair could hardly process anything through her shock of her emotions and he took her hand, sweeping her onto the dance floor. Her heart was racing, and she was thankful for his strong arms around her. She was scared, giddy, and insanely happy all in one breath.

Chuck was sublimely happy. He breathed in the scent of her, loving the feel of her in his arms, her body pressed up against his. He smiled at her pink dress, and murmured in her ear, "You even look like Vera Ellen in your pink dress."

She could not hold back her smile, and her wit overruled her giddiness, "Well, your shoes don't perfectly match your suit, so I'm afraid you look nothing like Danny Kaye."

They spent the next few minutes smiling at one another as they enjoyed dancing. Chuck twirled Blair, spun her in circles, his happiness all leading him to agree that the best things do happen while you are dancing. "I'm thinking I agree with the song. Do you?"

His eyes were shining as he asked her and she thought she agreed with him- or, very nearly did. "Mm, almost."

"Almost?" Chuck was shocked by her reply.

"Almost..." Blair smiled, lifted her head up and softly kissed him.

Neither heard the music end, and while their kissing was tame, they had forgotten anyone else might even be in the room.

"At last." Nate chimed in.

"That certainly took long enough." Serena laughed a little.

"I know. But now I'm worried. I think they're cuter than us. How sweet is this? I think I just got a cavity." Nate quipped.

Blair and Chuck were still wrapped in each others arms, but they stopped kissing, and turned their heads to give equally nasty scowls to the blonds.

"Well, you know what they say?" Serena smiled at Nate, "If you can't beat 'em..."

"Hmm..." Nate pretended to think a moment, before grabbing Serena, dipping her which evoked a squeal, before he kissed her.

Blair rolled her eyes and Chuck just took the opportunity to kiss her again.

Professor Waverly walked in a few short minutes later, slightly flabbergasted with the two couples, he chuckled, "Alright kids, time for dinner."

When Blair pulled away, Chuck growled in her ear, "See, are you now also beginning to dislike dinner immensely?"

Blair laughed as he slid his arm around her waist and they walked to dinner.

After a pleasant dinner, the quartet walked back to their cabins. Serena and Nate sheepishly looked at the darker pair.

Blair eyed them, "What are you doing. You're thinking something, I can see it."

Serena shoved Nate a little and he finally choked out, "We need to... trade roommates."

Chuck grinned at first, "Alrigh- wait, what?"

Serena stepped in now, "Well, what else do you expect us to do?"

"I could just get my own room..." Blair was bright pink given the whole situation.

"Please, by next week you'll be in his room anyway." Serena scoffed.

"S!" Blair cried.

"You like each other, I'm your _sister_ you hardly need to hide it from me. And I know you, you won't be forced into doing anything you don't want to."

"I..." Blair was completely flummoxed by the situation, "Can I at least get my things before you two..."

"Yes, I'm not that evil." Serena laughed and kissed Nate on his cheek before he went to collect his belongings from the boys cabin.

* * *

><p>Once she had her things, Blair gave Serena the biggest pouting 'please don't do this to me' face as she dragged her luggage across the little road to the boys cabin. Nate departed, closing the door behind him, and leaving Blair and Chuck...alone.<p>

It was the oddest situation Chuck had been in in a long time, perhaps ever? How Blair made him feel was strange enough, but after one good day together, they were now sharing a room. Luckily, he always had work. And his manners.

"I have some work to do before I go to sleep, please feel free to use the bathroom after you unpack." Chuck then went to the desk and sat with his work, desperate to distract himself and while leaving Blair to herself for awhile.

The awkwardness was incredible, but Blair was grateful that he had something to do other than stare at her. So she busied herself unpacking her things, making everything just so, before taking a long bath. When she finished her evening ritual, she peeked out of the door. Chuck was still working at his desk, his back to her. She sighed; she had not brought a robe with her- why would she? She was suppose to be sharing a room with _her__sister_.

Slipping out of the bathroom, she quietly tried to make it to her bed before he looked at her. She nearly made it, when she saw him begin to turn around.

"No!" She cried, reaching out to pull the comforter from her bed to shield herself.

Chuck stared at Blair as she covered herself, "What's wrong?"

"I... if I had known, I would have had Emma do my laundry today... I don't mean to be cruel." Blair looked at him with such sincere guilt, it made his heart ache.

"What can you possibly talking about?" Chuck was genuinely worried.

"My pajamas..." Blair chewed on her lower lip in anxiousness.

"Your... Blair," Chuck sighed, "I promise I won't molest you for wearing skimpy lingerie to bed."

"I just... don't want you to think I'm seducing you..." Blair lowered the comforter a little.

Chuck laughed then stood and walked to her, "If that's what you're worried about, you should have never gotten into my helicopter. Now I think you must show me what has you so concerned?"

Blair would not stop pouting at him, but Chuck pushed the comforter away. While it was hardly risqué compared to many of the things he had seen, he could see why she would be uncomfortable. He swallowed hard as he took in the sight of her curves contained in a soft silk lilac camisole and little matching shorts. It was demur, but... he had never seen _her_ wearing so little, the sight of so much skin, and the way the silk was clinging to her round breasts. He thought once more that he needed to kill Nate, this was beyond cruel.

"I think..." Chuck cleared his throat, "I think I'll go and just..."

Watching him turn and walk to the bathroom, Blair was a little bewildered and then tried not to laugh out right at his clear discomfort. She almost felt sorry for him as she fixed her bed and crawled in. She had read only a few pages of her book before Chuck reappeared. Trying to not be so obvious she peeked over the page. He was wearing long stripped silk bottoms and- she tried not to gasp, nothing else.

"I thought this might make it a little more fair." Chuck smirked.

Blair sank deeper under her covers and held the book over her face. She heard him chuckle at her, "The _Annotated_ Pride and Prejudice?"

Though muffled by the book, she replied, "It really does add a lot of context lost on the modern reader."

"Mm, I'm sure," Chuck pulled the book away and sat it down, "Now, may I kiss the girl I like good night before I have to pretend we're not sharing a room, sadly not sharing my bed, all so I might get some sleep?"

This made Blair smile and she sat up properly in her bed. But Chuck shook his head no and held her hand, "At least give me this much, and insure I have the sweetest dreams?"

He pulled her to her feet and standing before one another, they enjoyed the close intimacy for a few minutes. Blair ran her fingers across his chest, feeling his skin, his chest hair, and the pulse of his beating heart. Chuck stroked her long soft curls, one hand slipping around her neck, tipping her head back. His other hand slid down to her silk clad waist, pulling her to him as his lips met hers. The feel of her body was delicious pressed against him and it took but a few moments before their kiss became open mouthed. The hand on her waist was under the camisole, luxuriating in the feel of her skin. Her hands were buried in his hair and he just... it was taking all of his energy to not shove her back onto her bed and show her what it meant to inflame such passion in him. Instead, he growled, letting go of her and hastily taking a few steps back.

Her hair was slightly tousled from his attentions, the flush in her cheeks was also across the top of her breasts that were wildly straining against their silk prison, the soft outline of her hard nipples truly testing his self restraint.

She saw how wild his eyes were, his breathing was as labored as hers, and it was a challenge not to let her eyes wander down to the very obvious evidence of what exactly he was feeling right now. Though it had been what he wanted, she still felt bad, so she turned and climbed back into her bed.

That Chuck did not groan aloud was a miracle. The sight of her ass in those tiny shorts as she slipped back into bed- all he could think of now was pulling her hair as he took her from behind. He took a moment to rub his eyes then rake his hand through his hair. He finally stepped over to his bed, "Serena was wrong."

Blair was not sure she wanted to know what Serena was wrong about, but asked anyway, "Wrong about what?"

Chuck slipped into bed, and reaching to turn out the light, he smirked at her, "We would never make it to next week."

_Click_. They were immersed in darkness. Blair hid her head in the pillows as she focused on trying to slow her racing heart so she might fall asleep.

* * *

><p>:gasp: Another Georgia-edit free chapter! To be honest, if I want to try and push this out by (or as close to) Christmas as possible, we are both much too busy to give the story the proper once over- which makes me sad and slightly paranoid (:cough: perfectionist? :cough:). If I don't make it by Christmas, it should be done by the 28th when I go to DC on holiday (any DC readers? I'd love to hang with some fellow GG fans!).<p>

Please review? And if you can manage to not wait and come back to review- I could be updating this pretty fast if I can get the story down. And isn't falling behind on reviews just *so* sad? -_^ And ah, wait until you see what comes next! xoxo


	7. One by One

White Christmas  
>One by One<p>

Blair stretched in bed as her alarm went off, drifting out her satisfying sleep to the beautiful music. Then there was the sound of some very un-Serena-like groaning. Her eyes went wide in horror. She stared at the ceiling a moment before she had the courage to turn her head to visually confirm what she truly had hoped was some twisted dream.

"Ugh... Waldorf... Do I want to know what time it is?"

There, lying a few feet away in the other bed was a lightly tousled Chuck Bass. Her heart pounded and she did her best to ignore it. "It's only 6AM."

"6AM?" He groaned, "And you wake up to Vivaldi, too?"

"You don't think the pastoral dance from Spring is pretty?" Blair propped up on her elbow, ready for a fight.

"Oh, it's not that at all. I was just expecting, I don't know, Dawn from Peer Gynt, or Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty?" Chuck turned to gaze at her as he spoke, a teasing grin on his face.

Blair gave him an insulted look, trying not to laugh, before throwing a pillow at him. "Ugh! Well, what time does the great Bass awaken every morning?"

He lazily stretched his long body out before replying, "Not until seven."

"Just think what you could do with a whole extra hour each morning..." Blair left the sentence hanging in the air as she gave him a rather heated look.

He raised an eyebrow in question at her a moment. She was flirting with him! And it made him instantly giddy with happiness. He quickly tossed his sheets aside and jumped into her bed. He pressed himself atop her, though the bedding was separating them.

Blair squealed and giggled 'no' as he pinned her to the bed.

He smiled down at her, his eyes warm, "I could imagine waking up at least an hour early to enjoy... You... Every morning."

The look on his face... In his eyes, the thought of what he was saying- waking up... Next to him... Every morning. She was scared of this beautiful idea he was sharing with her, "Chuck... I..."

But he stopped her mouth, pressing his softly against hers. He was not about to let her apprehension take away from the fun they were having and how much he was enjoying being with her. He reached up with one hand, cupping her face. She moaned at his gentle touch and he pulled away, smirking, "Perhaps the thought of waking up next to me isn't so very bad?"

"I never said you were hard on the eyes," Blair's smile was shy as she gazed up at him, "Your bedside manner on the other hand..."

"Only improves upon further acquaintance." Chuck finished her sentence, smirking even more.

"Does it now?" Blair reached up, running her hand along the soft stubble lining his beautiful jawline. He watched her closely, his smirk slowly softening. Her hand slipped behind his neck, her fingers curling in his hair, pulling him back down to her mouth. Her body arched into his as they kissed, both her hands now trailing down his back. One hand snaked around his side, a finger sneaking inside his waistband.

Chuck raised himself higher, trying not to pant, desperate for her attention. It was a cruel trick when she used her other hand to shove him aside to make her escape. He toppled onto her bed, loving the warmth she left behind and the smell of her on the sheets and pillows. She gave him a little grin of triumph over her shoulder as she sauntered to the bathroom, and as a final move, lifted the silky camisole over her head. He was allowed only the briefest glimpse of the soft round outline of her breasts before she slipping into the bathroom. The click of the door's lock was very audible and he half sighed, half huffed at it.

On the other side of the door, Blair was grinning and a little bewildered. She had not had so much fun as she was having these past few days with Chuck, in a very very long time, and certainly never with any of the guys she had half-heartedly dated over the years. He was sharp, and witty, and terribly handsome. She quickly stepped into the shower, hoping it might wash away some of these thoughts and feelings. She was only infatuated with him, right? And he was not _seriously_ pursuing her! That was a very absurd thought. This is Chuck Bass, surely he was this flirtatious with every girl. She was ignoring their chemistry, and the things they had shared with each other... about their parents, about their shared sadness.

When she finally stepped out of the bathroom, she wore a pretty little purple dress, quite simple, long sleeves, a wide neck, the hem reaching down to her knees to meet white stockings. She had pulled her hair back with a ribbon and her eyes were wide when she saw Chuck sitting at the little table.

Upon seeing her, he instantly set down the paper he was reading, and stood, smiling as he beheld her. It was some mean trick of fate that she seemed to intuitively know all of his weaknesses and fancies. The long line of her neck, the slope and curve of her collarbone, it was difficult to break away from gazing at her.

"What is this?" Blair asked as she stepped up to the table.

There was a sweet little tray with juice and various breakfast items. "I thought if I went up to the house and brought breakfast to you, I might capture you awhile longer? Before I have to share you with Serena, or work..."

"I..." He was looking at her so... she did not want to think of a word to describe what she saw in his eyes, "Chuck... I appreciate the opportunity to work for you. But, this... I mean," Blair was growing frustrated with herself, "You're Chuck Bass."

"And... Ah..." Chuck nodded his head a moment, then he stepped toward her, and held her chin, locking eyes with her, "And you think I must be like this with every girl I take to bed? I quote Tennyson to them, play the piano and sing my parents song to them? I hold back my lust, even when sharing the same room with them?"

"Then..." Blair gazed back at him nervous.

"Please, relax. Let go. We're not in the city. No one is watching us. We won't be in the papers. This is just you... and I."

"But Chuck, you never, ever... I know enough about you." Blair tried to hold steady.

"You know enough to believe I could never want a chance at what Nate and Serena are trying for in the cabin across from us? Because you believe they can have that fairy tale, but not you- you won't even try to find out if..." Chuck was growing upset, and he had to bite his tongue.

But Blair was already upset, wounded that he would remind her of her sad future, so she pushed him, "Try to find out if..."

Her eyes were hard and determined as she asked him, trying to egg him on. If that is what she wanted, he would gladly oblige, his fingers tightening their grasp on her stubborn chin, "Find out if we could fall in love."

He paused, feeling the slight tremble of her jaw, seeing the fear in her eyes. She was not running, something in her heart was keeping her here. So he dared her, "A life, without love, is no life at all."

His mouth covered hers, feeling her gasp, and pulling her into his arms, he held her tight. Her whole body trembled in his arms as she tried to hold tight to her belief. But he held her close, kissing her tenderly, urging her to try.

Blair could not allow herself to believe any of it... she could not. But he felt... and what he said... he wanted something more with her. He made her heart pound fiercely in her chest, and soft tears spilled from beneath her lashes.

Chuck at last lifted his head up, a soft, sad smile on his face at seeing her tears. With the pads of his thumbs, he gently stroked them away, "Blair, why are you crying?"

She shook her head, "You... and, all of this... my head says no, but my heart..."

Her response made him smile. "Spend the day with me? Eat while I quickly shower, and we'll hide away together today. Just us, relaxing."

Smiling a little, Blair nodded and sat down at the table. Chuck hurried to shower. He knew he could not leave her alone too long. And he was eager to show her there could be more, he wanted to see how much they had between them.

Blair smiled to herself as she sipped a glass of juice at the table. Could it be? This was all so... so different. She tried to keep her excitement down, she would not ignore her feelings, but she was not about to be overrun by them like a little school girl. Yet her mind still wandered to the thought of him in the shower right now... naked... and wet...

When Chuck exited the bathroom, he found Blair lying on her bed with the little bowl of fruit, staring at the television. Her little stockinged feet were in the air as she popped a strawberry in her mouth.

For a moment Chuck felt the overwhelming sensation that this is what his life should be like as he looked at her. She had not tried to run, and instead was happily waiting for him to join her.

"So..." Chuck said as he flopped down in bed next to her, "What's first?"

"I figured I would try and scare you off with an old movie. Singing in the Rain?" Blair pressed the start button on the remote.

"Don't know if I've been subjected to all of that one before." Chuck teased as he pulled a piece of honeydew from the bowl.

Blair made a face at this. "Thank heaven," she began, pausing to munch on a piece of cantaloupe, "Honeydew tastes like nothing."

"No." Chuck countered, "Cantaloupe tastes like nothing, now shush the movie is starting."

Chuck finished by kissing her on the cheek and eating another piece of honeydew. Blair was smiling, so he smiled too. They finished the fruit after a little while, and Chuck pretended not to notice when Blair scooted closer to him. She rested her head against his shoulder when Gene Kelly wooed Debbie Reynolds. But by the ending scene of the movie, Blair became agitated, and was clearly unhappy. "What's wrong, didn't you like the ending? It was a happy ending."

"Happy? She was fired because of him, lost a role because of him, sacrificed for his career, and then he manipulated her in front of everyone like that! I don't know how she didn't die of humiliation!" Blair was incensed.

"Did you not see those last few seconds? They became film stars together, they had it all in the end."

"After all of her sacrifice and humiliation- and hatred! Lena was absolutely awful to her! It's funny how a movie changes when you grow up..." Blair huffed.

"Hey," Chuck sat up and then proceeded to pull Blair up from the bed, "This movie was how many decades ago? _That_ isn't the real world, that isn't you- that isn't us." He stared at her, insistent.

"You aren't like all the other rich New York boys then? You're the richest of them all, and you don't expect your wife to become some Park Avenue Princess the day she becomes Mrs. Bass, or later on, when she discovers she's carrying Baby Bass?" In her upset state, Blair was candid.

Chuck's eyes softened, "Is that an offer, Waldorf?"

"What?" Blair's eyes went wide, "That's not..." Suddenly her cheeks were bright pink and she tried to pull away from him, tried to get out of the bed.

But Chuck only laughed at her, grabbing her arms, throwing her down onto the bed. Blair tried to hide a smile from him, her head resting on a pillow, he pinned her there in case she tried to run again, "I would never ask that of my wife- I could never marry a woman like that, and after barely a week, I know better than to dare ask it of you."

Blair stopped holding back her smile, but then his mouth was on hers. He had calmed her- Serena would have berated her, others may have thought her silly, or crazy. But Chuck stepped beyond that and she pulled him even closer as they kissed. When he dragged his mouth away away, he pulled her into his arms as he laid back. Relaxed and happy once more, she traced invisible patterns on his chest as she wondered- as she tried to imagine something different. "Tell me what it would be like? What is your fairy tale, Chuck?"

Chuck wasn't sure if what he began to picture was because he knew what Blair wanted to imagine, or if he was trying to be cute, or if he himself wanted to create what he was sharing with her. But, he said it. "I think my best friend will kidnap me from the city for the holidays. And though initially frustrated and annoyed, I end up spending the entire trip with the most beautiful and..." he made the tiniest sigh here, "stunning woman I have ever crossed paths with."

"Oh... Hush..." Blair interjected.

"Don't get me wrong, she's stubborn, always picking fights with me..." Blair prodded him several times "But one day... I finally convinced her to marry me. I made sure not to buy a penthouse on Park Avenue, and promised to never work past 10PM-"

"Never?"

"Well, not once we started having children?"

"How many will we have?"

"Is three too many? I always thought three sounded good." Chuck asked.

"I suppose you really have to see how the first one goes?"

"That is a valid point... I want a girl first I think." Chuck stroked Blair's long hair as he held her.

"Really?"

"Didn't you hear how beautiful my wife is? Imagine a little tiny version- all fury and brown curls." Chuck laughed.

"Yes, but she'd have your smirk!" Blair replied.

"Only if she gets your mouth..." Chuck leaned down at this and kissed her.

Part of Blair's mind- a tiny part, was screaming. What was he saying? What was she saying? But most of her was happy, curled up in his arms, his mouth pressed against hers. When he stopped, she pouted at his ending her pleasure.

"You know..." He murmured, and she gazed up at him, the pounding of her heart suddenly slamming in her chest. His hand came up to cup her cheek, "The hardest part may just be having _only_ three children?"

Blair felt her cheeks flush pink again, but it did not matter- he was kissing her once more. Deeply. Her mind went hazy, her fingers curling in the fabric of his shirt, the feel of his hands in her hair. He was pushing her back into the bed and he pulled his shirt off before kissing her again. Touching his skin, oh, it made her burn. His touch, the thrumming in her veins was a tide rising inside of her. Days of teasing, flirting, how long had it taken them just to kiss? Her body was capitulating, the craving she had for him with every look, every touch, every word. He was dangerously outside of everything she had built. And she did not care.

His hands were grasping her waist, and she bucked against him. He groaned, desire surging through him- a need to explore her perfection. His hand traveled along her stocking clad thigh, hesitating halfway, where the opaque material ended and her skin began. She mewled against his mouth in frustration, making him grin, before his hand finally touched skin. His hand traveled up, pushing her dress higher. Blair pulled away from him in frustration, but he never saw her eyes, for she was pulling the soft purple dress over her head, exposing her to him, scantily clad in white lace and thigh highs. He sat up and took her face in his hands, seemingly about to begin kissing her senseless once more.

But instead, he paused. She had been turning hot and cold the whole day, and he was... he was serious about her. So he stared into those beautiful brown eyes that had captured him from the first time he saw her, because he needed to know. "Are you sure?"

The look in his eyes made her breath hitch in her throat. She had fought him all the way here- to the edge of this precipice. But now, more than anything, she wanted to jump. But there was not a word to describe how she felt. Not just desire and need, but certainty, while feeling safe- and absolutely reckless at the same time. Her hands slid down his torso, over his stomach, her fingers grasping the top of his pants, she stared back him, her eyes pouting, her lower lip trembling slightly.

He watched her closely for any sign of hesitation, there was none- only a growing sense of want. Her pale breasts rose and fell underneath the delicate lace, her fingers tugged at his trousers, and the sight of her swollen lower lip trembling alone could have broken him- if only there was not so much as risk. But it took only a few seconds of this little dance before she said it.

"Chuck."

The answer had never been yes. It had been her, and him. The exact way she said his name in that moment. It resounded in his ears, through his heart, down his spine, and his mouth was upon hers once more without another thought. He reached around to unclasp her bra and her hands dropped down to open his trousers. His cock was as hard as steel, he could feel his blood pounding as he longed for her. Pressing her back down into the bed, he pulled the last of her lingerie off.

His eyes devoured the sight of Blair's naked body before him. The days of banter, flirting, and growing closer to her served to be an incredibly intense amount of foreplay and now all he wanted was to be with her. Her tiny hands were stripping him bare. Before tossing his discarded clothes to the floor, he pulled a condom from his wallet. Setting it aside, he focused his attention on her, his hands traveling down her body. His mouth sought to taste her neck and she cried out when his hand slipped between her legs. He was slightly shocked when she shoved him away, snatched the condom and tore it open.

"Days! We've been building towards this for days!" Blair shoved him back into the bed, "I want to be with you- and this is a vacation, so you can give me the full Bass experience later!"

She took him in hand, smiling when at her touch, Chuck's eyes rolled back. Soon she was straddling him, slowly... blissfully lowering herself down as he filled her. His hands instinctively wrapped around her waist and they both let out a delicious little moan when her hips were at last flush against his.

Chuck delighted in watching her, the way her body moved as she rode him with increasing vigor. Moving his hands up, he felt the weight of her breasts as he cupped them, pinching her nipples and making her pant even harder. Her whimpering became more desperate as her climax grew closer, and she pleaded with him, "Chuck!"

Pulling her face down to his, he kissed her, slamming his hips upwards as hers pushed down hard grinding into him. Her mouth dropped away from his, her gasp of pleasure breaking into a cry of ecstasy. Her body seized and shook, and he thrust up as her body held him tight. He rocked her hips against him and with the slightest turn of her body, Chuck was moaning her name as he came.

Blair fell into his arms with a blissful sigh. She wanted to cry when he slipped out of bed. He laughed a little, leaning down to kiss her, "First things first."

So Blair stretched out in bed to wait for him. But the few minutes he was apart from her was too much. He had given her such immense pleasure, but in doing so, he had unleashed a flood of pent up desire. She had been all work and no play for... She rather not think how long. She was however ready to make up for all that lost time, with Chuck.

When he opened the bathroom door, he glanced at the bed just long enough to know Blair was not lying in it. Suddenly her arms were wrapped around him and she was kissing him passionately. He eagerly matched her desire, leaning down to scoop her up into his arms. Laying her down in the bed, he took a moment for himself to gaze at her naked body. She was pouting at him the whole time, but he only smiled in return as his eyes caressed the curves, peaks, and valleys of her beautiful form. When Blair grab his hand and tugged on it, he at last gave in and crawled into bed next to her. The few moments where he was leaning over her, staring in to warm brown eyes as his mouth drew closer to hers, his every heartbeat resounded down to his soul, telling him she belonged here, like this, with him. From their first moments together their energy was palpable and after nearly a week it had magnified exponentially. Fire rioted through his veins as they kissed. She began kissing down his jaw and nipping at his neck, and moaning he chuckled, "Is it yet time for the full Bass experience?"

"After the initial performance, I'll admit I'm keen to see the extent of your talents." Blair murmured, feeling his hand skim past her stomach down towards her thighs.

"I do yearn to learn all of you," he purred, "What gives you pleasure," he paused to suck her breast, lightly biting her nipple and making her mewl, "what makes you cry out, and how to make you..." his hand briefly cupped her sex before two fingers shoved deep inside her, causing her to cry out, "scream."

Blair knew he would make her scream soon enough. He was already causing her to tremble, his fingers curling up, the tips brushing against her g-spot. Her mind swam and he pushed his thumb up, caressing her clit. She hazily registered his head moving down her torso and her hands, which had at some point become tangled in the sheets, struggled free to curl in his hair, pushing his face lower. She cried when as his tongue pressed hard against her sex, then curling a moment around her clit. Her hips bucked with pleasure as she cried out. Chuck's fingers stilled and his mouth pulled away, making her whimper.

"You're making this so easy, Waldorf," He said, making her wail quietly in protest as his fingers slipped out, "are you going to come so quickly for me?"

He grinned as she sobbed and cried his name in pleading. His hands braced her thighs, holding her still as his mouth began to slowly tease her once more. He wanted to delay her pleasure, to force the power of her climax even higher, but to do so, he had to make her behave. He grinned as she trembled and gasped as he licked her, sucked on her, learning ever curve and fold of her with his mouth as he savored the taste of her.

For her part, Blair was trying to control her need, to allow him play, to push her climax back. It was becoming more and more difficult with each pass of his tongue; her muscles twitched, and she had to fight the desire to rock her hips and ride his mouth. She became dizzy with as she threw her head back in frustration, her hands once more grabbing his hair and her hips jerking up. He shook her hands off of him and pulled back, his hand holding her down even tighter, he growled, "Blair..."

"Please!" Blair cried as she writhed at his absence, her hands flying up to knead her breasts, seeking out some sensual sensation as she squeezed them, her back arching.

Chuck smirked at his progress. Dropping his head back down, he licked her, long and hard as he let one hand drop from her thigh, his fingers penetrating her once again- at last. At each little motion, he listened to Blair chant yes over and over again, her whole body jerking against the twirl of his fingers inside her and the concentrated stroking of his tongue. Her muscles wrapped tightly around his fingers, and her entire being shook, a scream- his name, tore from her throat.

Lifting his head, his hand gently rocked with her hips as she descended from her orgasm. She was panting, a blissful smile on her face, and stars in her eyes.

Blair vaguely registered the proud look on his face, lazily closing her eyes when he knelt down to kiss her. His mouth was warm and pleasant in her post-coital high, but she mewled when his fingers began to slip from her, her muscles fighting desperately to hold on to him. His departure instantly made her desire snap back, as though she had not just orgasmed... twice, in the last hour.

Jerking her face away from his, she pushed him half off the bed, crying, "No! More, I need more!"

Chuck grinned, staring at her unrestrained need and desire.

Blair sat up, shoving him further off the bed, bouncing a little as she pleaded, "Don't just stare at me! Get another condom, I need you again- now!"

Reaching down for his discarded wallet, he pulled it open. After a beat, he muttered, "Fuck," and threw the expensive piece of leather to the ground, "I only had... one."

* * *

><p>Hahaha, I hope you are wailing :) Edited as best I could manage! I only have a little of the next chapter written, so... we'll see how my day off tomorrow goes? I have a ton to do aside from write, sadly :( But make an author smile- leave a review? Favorite line or scene is always a joy to hear :D<p> 


	8. To Hear

White Christmas  
>To hear...<p>

Chuck pounded on the door to Nate and Serena's cabin. He heard a faint squeal and after a few moments Nate answered the door, a sheet haphazardly wrapped around his waist.

Nate's lopsided smile was rife with mischief, "That was sooner than I expected. You win the bet, Serena!"

Hidden in the mass of sheets on the bed, he heard Blair's sister cry of triumph, followed by a, "Thank heaven! I don't know how much longer I could have lived with a sexually frustrated Waldorf! Give the man what he needs Archibald, and let the healing begin!"

Serena laughed as Nate chucked and turned around to dig through his bag.

Chuck was astounded at the level of insight the pair had- he had not even spoken a word! Nate came back to the door and handed him a large box of condoms, "Don't you two need any?"

"I came prepared! That's your box," Nate winked. "Have fun Bass, you earned it."

And with one last perfect grin, Nate closed the door. Chuck stood there a moment staring at the giant box, still in shock by the level of Nate's foresight and planning. When he snapped back to reality, he smiled. 'Thank heaven for Nate Archibald!'

* * *

><p>Blair was relentless, he barely had the door closed when she snatched the box from him, tossing it to the bed after retrieving one, all while kissing him fiercely. Chuck was in heaven but not to be out done, he grabbed her hips and pushed her back to the bed. Shoving her down, he lifted his shirt over his head, Blair's hands reaching up to quickly pull open his trousers. He took the condom from her, and pushing her to lay back he stood over her. She looked gorgeous laid out in the bed, the sight of her body alone - forgetting her need, or how he felt about her - made him incredibly hard. He stared at her as he rolled the condom on. She had a wicked smirk on her face, biting the nails of her index finger as she gazed up at him. He paused a moment, wanting her, baiting her, waiting for her to beg. She didn't disappoint. The smirk became a pout and she whimpered, bucking her hips, and massaging her breast with her unoccupied hand. He dragged her hips to the edge of the bed, listening to her squeal with excited anticipation. He purred as his hips settled between hers, "You need this, don't you?"<p>

Blair's hips arched towards him as she breathily answered, "Yes!"

He groaned deeply as he watched himself enter her body. Slowly... inch by inch... until they were completely joined. He listened to her sigh, her body tightening with pleasure. Desire shot through him, and he began thrusting in earnest. He breathed hard, his eyes mesmerized as stared down at her. A tide of emotions rolled over him as he watched her writhe in her pleasure. He had been with models, dancers, prostitutes, housewives... all manner of woman. But Blair's unfettered, raw sexuality was unlike anything he had experienced before; she was incredible- inside the bedroom, and outside of it. As he listened to her cry out once more, her climax drawing out his own, the thought burned in his mind that he never wanted to let her go.

After a pause to recover, they showered together. Shampoo, shaving, and soap. Lots... and lots... of soap. They were like two out of control teenagers. He touched and licked her everywhere, making her cry out in pleasure until she pushed him away, dropping to her knees to repay his delicious cruelty. He was in paradise the moment her mouth wrapped around him, heaven when he felt how deep she could take him, and a blissful state of nirvana when her skilled mouth and hands brought him to a sublime orgasm. Never mind letting her go- he never wanted to let her out of this cabin. They were sweet and tender again as they dried each other. They snuggled close in her bed, a need to sleep washing over both of them, though it was only early afternoon.

* * *

><p>Chuck awoke to the sensation of such warmth. It made him not want to move, but his muscles stretched, causing him to realize the weight pressing on his chest, a leg tangled with his, and as he inhaled, shampoo... the kind only a girl would use. And that's when his heart thudded happily at the memory, the knowledge that it was Blair in his arms. It was the temptation of her beauty that made him open his eyes, the sight of her curled against his chest, her little body clinging to him, that made him question if he were awake, or still dreaming?<p>

As if she knew, she nuzzled her head against his chest a moment, turning her beautiful face up towards his. She looked so peaceful, and one of his hands came to curl around her waist as he gently lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers. Warmth bloomed in his chest, spreading through him, his mouth softly caressing hers. When he at last paused and pulled away, his head felt light, his own happiness overwhelming him. Then Blair stirred in his arms a moment, a sweet little smile playing across her face as she sighed and whispered, "Oh... Chuck..." before rolling back into the bed.

He was pleasantly surprised for a moment- did she believe it was really him kissing her? Or was she dreaming of him? No matter the answer, he was happy to see her feelings on such display. When she rolled over, her naked breasts were exposed to him. The opportunity was too irresistible, and Chuck was all for positive reinforcement. Carefully adjusting himself, he tilted his head down, his tongue reaching out to stroke one nipple... then the other, until they stood in perfect peaks. Blair sighed happily several times but was not waking. So his hand slid over her stomach, down between her legs. His gentle touches coaxed her legs to open, and he slipped his fingers inside, proud to know it was thoughts of _him_ that had made her this warm and wet. His slow movements steadily increased in urgency as Blair's sighing became heavier, louder, at last, her back arching as her hips began to rock against him, her eyes flying open, "Oh god- Chuck!"

Blair writhed, hardly able to process that she was awake, just the desperate need aching between her legs. She cried out, rocking her hips harder, more... faster... until her whole body was shaking. Her voice cracked as she came, her head swimming, her hazy eyes just barely able to take in the gleeful smirk on Chuck's face. He pulled away from her- fingers and all, and it was cold and made her whimper.

"Don't worry, my dear, that was hardly the end." He purred, rolling on a condom before slipping between her legs, causing her to gasp as he buried himself deep inside**. **She lifted her head, her fingers in his hair, and kissed him. It was bliss feeling him slowly move above her, their bodies connected in every possible way, mouth, skin to skin, hips pressed against hips. It was incredible... it felt different than any of the sex she had ever had in the past, sex that had been out of need, or a sense of obligation. The thought that this could be described as making love flitted across her mind just before the tingling began to spread through her body. The sensation became more insistent as they rocked together harder. It broke over them both, together, their voices cried together, their bodies seizing with pleasure.

They were both still panting as he moved to lay next to her, a satisfied smirk on his face, "Good nap? Was I playing the right angle?"

Blair smiled, "I-" _I love you_, she shook her head, shook the startling thought away, "I suppose it was adequate."

She buried her face against his chest as he chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair. The thought- those words, burned in her mind, a pressure at the center of her forehead. 'Who falls in love in a week? Soul mates,' her heart beat in happy reply. She could not... did not... she pleaded with her heart to let her enjoy this, pushing all thoughts of love aside.

So they played the rest of the day, and into the night. Talking, touching, they reveled in each other's existence.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Blair awoke to her alarm grinning. She was in Chuck's arms, but the grin was more at the sound of her alarm as she happily wiggled her body against his.<p>

Chuck only groaned, "Waldorf..."

"It's not Vivaldi?"

Groan.

"The first few minutes of Borodin's Polovstian Dance. No. 17 is so pretty..."

He turned his head to glower at her, blearily opening his eyes.

"You don't think it sounds so adoring... gentle, and loving-" Blair lost herself in the sweet music a moment, and had to bite her tongue at having even said the 'l' word.

Chuck held her close, as if he sensed her trepidation, "I think I agree completely with that analysis," he purred, "Now... do I get my reward for waking up an hour early?"

Blair instantly let go, giggling as he nuzzled her neck, "You mean, do I get my reward for waking you up an hour early?"

They spent the first couple hours of the morning attempting to sate their desire for each other before at last surrendering to the real world once again. Blair had to work on the event for next weekend and Chuck had to admit not having checked in with Bass Industries for an entire day made him nervous. The hours passed easily with so much work to be done.

Part way through the afternoon Emma found Chuck at the computer, analyzing numbers and berating him for it. She patently sent him outside, on a walk, to get the mail- if he felt he had to be working! On his way back up to the house he spotted a group of older men playing horseshoes with Professor Waverly sitting a ways off, smoking a pipe and watching over his domain. Chuck went to sit next to him and they watched the game, the clink of the shoes hitting the metal rods, "Every think of joining them?"

"Oh no, I'm a little too young for that sort of thing." The professor replied, running a hand through his grey hair, "Thought I'd hold off on horseshoes until I can play with St. Peter."

Chuck made a small laugh, "Well, that won't be for some time, sir."

"Now, Chuck, I may not know much about running a giant corporation, but in case you and Nate are worried about the welfare of a certain Vermont inn keeper, you needn't be. His inn keeping days are numbered." The professor was adamant in his reply.

"I wouldn't say that," Chuck was slightly taken back. "Percentages are sure to catch up with the weatherman one of these days. I've been watching these clouds, and there's snow in them." Chuck replied, gazing up at the sky.

"Those are cumulonimbus, elevation seven thousand feet." Dr. Waverly said with a grin.

Chuck was still staring up at the sky, "I wouldn't be surprised if is snowed over night."

"I want to tell you something," Professor Waverly leaned in towards Chuck, "I haven't told anyone yet. I'm going to be teaching again. I've applied to teach a little again at Hampden-Sydney."

"That's wonderful news." Chuck replied, happy to think of his favorite professor teaching once more.

"I imagine they might try to stick me in one of those emeritus chair positions, but they better not. I'm holding out for something where I can be with the students."

"When do you expect to hear from them?"

"I expect a letter any day now."

"I've got the mail right here!" Chuck pulled the mail out of his pocket and flipped through it. "There's a letter right here for you."

Handing it to the professor, "It's from the college..." he began to open it, "Oh, but I left my reading glasses in the house. I'd like to read it myself, but... I'm a little anxious. Read it son, slowly."

Chuck smiled broadly as the professor handed him the letter, "Dear Tom, it certainly was a surprise hearing from you. You're amusing letter was appreciated more than you can imagine. Of course you've got plenty of time to be amusing, sitting on that porch, rocking away while we put in a full day's work. You always were a lucky stiff, and I envy you. 'A few years more,' I was saying to Eddy the other day, 'and I'll be able to take it easy, like Old Tom.'"

"Old Tom..." He interjected, the sound of the title bitter tasting.

Chuck glanced up at his former teacher a moment, registering the broken look on the man's face, "Oh well," he continued reading, "Some people have all the luck, everything is fine here, Carol had the flu..."

"The rest of the letter is about the family." Dr. Waverly took the letter back from Chuck now, "He's telling me that... that they can't use me. There's no place for me," he tucked the letter into its envelope, "It wouldn't be too hard to learn this game of horseshoes, now would it?" He stood and turned towards the other men and their game.

"It's a cinch, but... begging your pardon, sir, there's a lot to be said for leisure. You've always been hard at work, but..."

The professor turned back to look at Chuck with a smile, "Never kid a kidder, son. See you later." And with that he joined in the game.

He sat awhile and watched his old mentor, turning one thought after another over in his head. At dinner that night with Nate and the girls, he was still pondering the professor's predicament. Flirting with Blair at the table took his mind off of it for a time, as did their intense love making before curling up to sleep.

"Are you okay?" Blair sleepily murmured, "You seemed a little distracted at dinner."

"Just a lot of things to think about..." Chuck nuzzled his head against her, breathing in the scent of her.

"We'll, I'm here if you need me- I care about you, you know?" Blair smiled to herself in the dark, because it was true- she could say that much without fear.

Chuck's heart beat a little harder in his chest, "I care about you, too, Blair."

As he fell asleep, the idea floated to the surface. Care.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Chuck sought out Nate. "Haven't seen much of you lately," the blond boy chuckled.<p>

"As if you've been less... occupied." Chuck grinned.

"True... but I have to say, your typical sexual escapades aside you look..." Nate paused, and took a good hard look at his friend, "Happy?"

Chuck smiled, looking a bit sheepish for a moment, "Happy might be one word for it?"

Nate's eyebrows raised at this, "Love?"

"I..." Chuck had been wrestling with the idea, but after yesterday- after being apart from her and working, only to come back to being with her, and how she made him feel? "I think this could be love, Nate."

His best friend grinned, "Forty-five minutes, all to myself!"

Now Chuck had to roll his eyes, "What about you and Serena?"

Nate settled down, "Well... if it is, I'm going to say it to _her_ first," he then laughed.

"Girl talk aside, I had an idea..." Chuck shared his plan with his partner in crime, who was equal parts excited and frustrated.

"How do you expect to pull this off? All those people?" Nate furrowed his brow.

"My interview next week. I'm about to go and confirm it right now, if they let me- which I can't imagine they won't, I'll put it out there then. What do you think?" Chuck was eager for some feedback.

"I think it's impossible, ridiculous, and insane." Nate grumbled.

"Anything else?" Chuck was startled.

"Yeah! I wish I had thought of it first." Nate smiled.

"I'll go make the call then!"

Chuck walked into the foyer where Emma was reading, "Emma, do you have somewhere I can make a private call- I don't want to be disturbed or distracted."

"Certainly, you can use our office, here behind the desk." Emma gestured towards the door. Chuck moved inside the little room and smiled at Emma as he closed the door. "Hello, Stephen, Chuck Bass..."

Emma slipped outside, and leaned against the slightly ajar window outside the office.

"... I know it's a long shot, but it's the best way to reach the right audience."

On the other end, "I love the idea of doing something for the old man, if it weren't for him, I might have ended my days as a Philosophy teacher!" Stephen laughed, "But why don't you go all out? We could put the whole thing on television? A Colbert tribute to teaching."

"Thanks, Stephen, but that's not the idea." Chuck replied.

"It's a great idea. An old country inn, a life dedicated to others- it's the perfect Christmas story! All that heart- it'd be great advertising for Bass Industries." Stephen pointed out.

Emma shook her head and walked out towards the barn, thoroughly upset.

"I'm sorry, Stephen, but that's not going to happen. We're not commercializing on the old man's hard luck. There's no chance. We'll do my interview on the show, and at the end we can make a little pitch, that's it, okay?... Wonderful, I'll see you Tuesday."

Blair passed a distressed Emma as she walked up towards the house, "Emma, are you okay?"

"I always knew my eavesdropping would get the better of me some day. You find out things you wish you hadn't."

Blair furrowed her brow, "Anything specific?"

"Did you know the boys are apparently planning to put the whole event on television? Right from here, on Christmas Eve. I just heard Chuck setting it up on the phone. It's a big deal, they're even going to put the professor on to make a fuss."

"I can't believe that..." Blair said with a frown.

"It will make him a pathetic figure from coast to coast." Emma pulled out her handkerchief, "What's that going to do to his pride!" she dabbed her eyes, "And of course you know it a load of free publicity for Bass Industries."

"Emma! That's a terrible thing to say!" Blair was horrified that the woman would say such a thing.

"I didn't say it, the man on the phone said it!" Emma cried.

"Chuck would never do such a thing. He'd never be involved in something so cruel. He loves the professor like a father!" Blair defended.

"Well, if I'm wrong, I'll resign as the President of the New England Chapter of Busybodies Anonymous." Emma half cried, and went on her way. Blair walked up to the house, running into Nate.

"Hi, Blair. Have you seen Chuck? He was suppose to be making a phone call..."

"From what I understand, he did." Blair stood tall and firm.

"Oh, good!" Nate smiled.

"I hear the television deal is good." Blair fidgeted with the cuff of her dress.

"Oh, he worked out then?"

"Beautifully..." Blair quietly replied.

"Great little angle, isn't it?" Nate continued to smile, oblivious to Blair's tone and demeanor.

"Brilliant."

"Can you keep this under your hat... we wouldn't want the professor to find out, yeah?" Nate whispered as Emma walked back into the house.

Blair nodded, "I understand."

"Blair, I ran into Chuck, he said he's waiting for you outside."

"Thank you, Emma." Blair turned towards the door as Serena came in.

"Hey, B! How about some lunch?" The blonde smiled.

"I'm not hungry," Blair shortly replied.

"But..." Serena pouted.

"I said I'm not hungry!" Blair half growled and pushed through the doors.

"What's wrong with her?" Nate asked Serena as they both watched her walk off.

"I'm not sure... but I have an idea. I wanna think about it..." Serena half smiled to herself.

Nate took her hand, "Well think about it over a sandwich, I'm starving."

Chuck smiled as he watched Blair walk towards him. She looked like it had been a hard day of work, but he knew a walk together would bring back her spirit. "Hey," He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her check. She felt stiff in his arms and he was instantly worried, "I thought... we might go for a walk together? Just for a short break?"

"I don't know, Chuck..." Blair stepped back away from him, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Is something wrong? Did I miss something?" Chuck tried to pull her in closer.

"I just... I don't think I feel like going on a walk." Blair still would not look up at him.

"But it's so beautiful out..." Chuck murmured softly.

"I just don't feel like a walk, Chuck." Blair replied firmly.

"Hey... what's going on?" He reached out for her hand, "Is there something you need to get off your chest? If you have something to say, just say it. There's plenty of work to get back to if we're not going to go on a walk."

"Well then, let's skip all this. I wouldn't want to interfere with the great business plans of the great Chuck Bass." Blair pulled her hand away.

"That's quite a remark..." Chuck replied, staring at her, trying to ignore the stinging feeling.

"That's all I have to say. So I'll just let you get back to your business." Blair turned and walked off, not once looking over her shoulder.

Chuck watched her go, feeling an annoying lump in his throat.

Back in the house, Nate and Serena watch Blair storm past the window, shortly followed by Chuck going the other way. Nate was completely confused, "What do you make of that?"

"I've never seen Blair quite like this before..." Serena paused a moment, "She's in love." It was the only explanation.

"Our love doesn't look like that..." Nate mused.

Serena smiled a moment, "Oh, but it's love. She's deliberately putting up barriers."

"Why?" Nate was not following.

"Because of me. She's always felt she was the mother hen, and I'm her little chick. She'll never leave the roost until I'm taken care of." Serena sighed.

"That's funny," Nate pictured hen-Blair and chick-Serena, "Are you sure?"

"Oh, I should have known. She'll never get involved with anyone until I'm married, or engaged, or something."

"Well... I guess that's the end of that." The blondes sighed together.

"Unless I get myself engaged or something, real fast." Serena thought aloud.

"Well that's ridiculous, even if it made any sense, you're all the way up here in the wilderness, there's nobody around here." Nate mused.

"Ooh, I don't know..." Serena played.

"Be realistic, who are you going to find up here to get yourself engaged to?" Nate was truly thinking from a third person perspective.

"Well, I... I suppose it should be someone I know?" Serena continued to act along.

"That always helps."

"And it's got to be a man..."

"We are in Vermont..."

"I mean a mature man, someone with talent and experience, witty, charming, attractive."

Nate shook his head along in agreement, "Oh sure, where are you going to find such a superman?

Serena smiled and touched his leg, "Well, don't be so modest."

"My dear, fellows like that don't just..." Then Nate paused and looked at her like a deer in headlights, "Me?"

"It only makes sense..." Serena pouted with her big blue eyes.

"Don't get the wrong idea, I'm just not the marrying kind!" Nate's voice squeaked.

"Oh, but it's _just_ an engagement!" Serena pleaded.

"I'm not the engaging kind either." Nate reasoned.

"Well then what kind are you?" Serena countered.

"Well, I'm more the 'I don't mind pushing my friend into it but I get scared stiff when I get anywhere close to it myself' kind." Nate rambled.

"How terrible could it be for just a few days? You do like me enough for that, don't you?" Serena stroked his leg.

"Of course, I just," Nate's voice cracked, "Engaged?"

"I guess we could just skip it? I was only thinking of Chuck and Blair..." Serena acted dejected.

"Chuck and Blair... yeah..." Nate frowned, "Look, it'd only be if it were absolutely necessary, yeah?"

"Of course, what kind of a girl do you think I am?" Serena acted wounded.

"No- just, it would last two or three weeks at the worst- I mean, the most?"

"At most." Serena smiled, knowing she had won, "Thank you, Nate." She kissed him on the cheek before leaving to spend extra time getting ready for dinner.

Dinner was tense. Blair and Chuck were so far apart you could have set another table between them. They wouldn't talk, Blair hardly ate, it was miserable. Serena looked at Nate, who was really hoping it would not be necessary. But by the time dessert arrived, there was no option, and Serena elbowed him.

"We have an announcement to make." Nate's voice was a bit higher pitched than usual, "Serena has agreed to uh... what I mean to say is, she just asked me, uh... she just said. Well," Nate smiled a little, "What I'm trying to say is that Serena and I are engaged."

Blair dropped her spoon, the sound ringing through the large room.

Chuck managed to smile first, his heart aching in his chest, from happiness for his friend, and terrible envy as he watched them sweetly kiss.

Blair stood abruptly, unshed tears in her eyes and a watery smile on her face. She went and hugged her sister, "Oh darling, I'm so happy for you... for you both." She turned towards Nate, "You know you are getting the best girl in the whole world? And you better take good care of her!" Blair was having trouble keeping back her tears now, "If you can forgive me..." and with that she left the group.

Chuck watched her flee, feeling torn to pieces. Lost at what he had done to Blair, happy and jealous of his friend at the same time, "Finally going to settle down, huh? Get those forty-five minutes one way or another?"

"I don't need to go at it alone you know..." Everyone glanced towards the door Blair had left through.

"I think I somehow may have ruined that..." Chuck's mouth felt dry.

"Maybe try again tomorrow?" Serena smiled, "I think things will be much better tomorrow!"

* * *

><p>He stayed up at the house, letting Blair be alone while he drank his feelings away. It was quite late when he finally left for his cabin, expecting Blair to be asleep. But instead he saw her standing by a car, her luggage being loaded. He hastily walked up to her before she slipped inside, "Blair, wait! Where are you going?"<p>

"I don't need to be here anymore. There's... there's work to do in New York, Dorota will be having her baby soon. I'm more useful there than here." Once again, Blair would not look into his eyes.

"Blair, don't do this- don't leave like this in the middle of the night. I don't know what I might have done, but please, let's talk about this, I don't want you to go." He pulled her close, and tilted her chin up so she had to look at him, "Blair, I think I'm in love with you."

In that moment, she thought her heart had stopped. She wanted to cry, and scream, she had not been able to make sense of anything all day. Love... love... he was in love with her? She could not close out all the noises in her head- more than anything now she was scared.

Blair pulled away from him, "I'm sorry, Chuck," was the little bit she could manage before slipping into the car and leaving him, and all of it, behind.

Chuck watched the bright red of the tail lights burn in the black night, their intensity matching the searing pain in his heart.

* * *

><p>AN: Happy Christmas! I stayed up late putting this together for you, and while it's not our happy ending yet, I hope you are still able to enjoy this as another little Christmas present. The story should be done in the next few days (three chapters left!).<p>

A special bunch of hugs and kisses to cococutie33 for staying up late to keep me company and edit this chapter! Every day I spend in this fandom I meet more and more incredible and amazing people- how is this possible? ^_^

I hope you had/are having, a lovely Christmas, or holiday season in general! If you're keen on giving me a present, reviews work pretty well usually -_^


	9. Come Out

White Christmas

Come Out

Blair was too exhausted- physically and emotionally, to do anything but sleep all the way back to New York. Serena finally had her fairy tale and Blair... Blair still had her work. _I think I'm in love with you_. She was uncomfortable in the backseat of the car, trying to sleep with thoughts of Chuck constantly floating to the surface that she could not drown out. How his touch felt, the way he smiled at her, how he talked about his fairy tale being _their_ fairy tale. A little girl... that looked like her, _all fury and brown curls- didn't you hear how beautiful my wife is? My... wife..._ he was talking about her. It hurt, and she quietly cried as the car took her further and further away from it all.

* * *

><p>Chuck stood on that spot for at least an hour, staring into the darkness until his hands and feet were numb from the cold. Returning to his now empty cabin, he lay on the bed, fully clothed. Nothing. He felt... nothing. He said it... he told her how he felt, and she still left. He felt cold and dejected, underneath all the static in his mind, he wondered if how he was feeling was because Blair had taken his heart with her?<p>

Nate shook Serena awake the next morning, "Serena, I found this by the front door."

He handed her a letter, in Blair's hand. Serena tore the letter open:

Dear S,

I don't know what you'll want to do now that you have Nate, but you don't need to worry about our company if you don't want to. I always knew this would happen. Nate is so wonderful, I can see how much he loves you, and I know you will both be very happy together.

I'll finish things up in New York for the Bass Industries event, just let me know what you need. Please don't worry about me, Dorota will keep me company, and enjoy the rest of the holiday in Vermont.

All my Love, Blair

"Nate! It's from Blair." Serena handed him the letter, wrapping her arms around herself in shock.

Nate read the letter over several times, frowning. They both dressed, the mood solemn before going to Chuck. They would have to explain themselves.

Chuck sat quietly and listened to the blondes' confession. When they finished, he stood and pulled out his luggage. Slowly, his packing became more adamant before he spoke at last, "How could you be stupid enough to try a stunt like this? Phony engagements and messing around with people's lives? You should be smacked upside the head," Chuck raised his arm in a moment of raw fury that his love affair had been so thoroughly interfered in, he seethed a moment, his up raised hand seemingly about to wallop his closest friend on the side of the head. But he saw the blond boy recoil, his face flinching in anticipation, and Chuck had to drop his arm with a sad laugh, returning to packing his suitcase.

Nate frowned, "Come on, Chuck, I only did it for you own good!"

"Yeah, because I'm a lonely, miserable, unhappy workaholic." Chuck grumbled.

"That's right! And when you're unhappy- I'm unhappy!" Nate countered, "After all..." Nate held his arm, and gave him the big blue eyes.

"Oh, no, you're not going to start again with that whole wounded arm bit!" Chuck continued to shove clothes in his suitcase.

"I told you, I never expected any special treatment from it..." Nate pouted.

Serena had sat there quietly staring in her lap, but now Chuck turned on her, "And you- her own sister! How could you do such a thing?"

"Well, it's just that she's always been so protective of me," tears filled Serena's bright blue eyes, "A kind of mother hen."

"Yeah, see, we wanted the mother hen to leave to the roost so the little chick..." Nate kind of lost his train of thought, "Well, I guess... we laid an egg?"

"More like a Vermont volleyball." Chuck closed his case and picked up his coat, "I'm going to go to New York and try and fix this." He gazed a Serena a moment, "You should consider yourself lucky. You may have been stuck with him for life!"

Serena started to cry and ran out of Chuck's cabin, Nate calling after her, "Serena!"

"Oh, let her be, you two have done enough damage." Chuck slipped his coat on.

"Now look, Chuck, you don't understand a thing."

"You've mixed things up good." Chuck continued.

"Will you listen to me for one minute?" Nate cut in.

"No, you listen to me. I've got a little job for you. Can you get one simple thing straight?" Chuck spoke with clear articulation to make his point.

"Try me." Nate replied.

"The professor always enjoys watching Stephen on The Colbert Report, right? I'm going to be on Tuesday night, 11:30."

"Tuesday night, 11:30." Nate repeated.

"Tell Emma about it, maybe she can help you, but the big thing is don't let the professor anywhere near that television!" Chuck was insistent.

"Don't worry, Chuck! I'll keep him away from that television if I have to..." he grabbed his arm, "Break my arm if I have to!"

"Break your arm, your ankle, your neck- just don't break anything valuable." Chuck joked, his eyes softening at his friend, as he lifted his case and started out the door.

"Okay, Chuck- you can depend on me!" Nate smiled as Chuck left, happy that his friend was no longer furious, and that he could be useful in Chuck's plans.

* * *

><p>Dorota waddled into the van der Woodsen penthouse ready for another day of deep cleaning and ordering her third trimester assistant maid around. She was walking through the rooms, marking off items on the checklist in her head when she saw all of Blair's luggage piled by the girls bed, and Blair herself bundled up in the bed, sleeping.<p>

She nudged her awake, "Miss Blair, what are you doing home? Is Miss Serena here too?"

Blair went straight from sleeping into a mix of depression and weeping, "Serena is engaged- she's left us Dorota!"

"What?" the maid asked as she sat next to Blair on the bed and rubbed her back, "Even married, Miss Serena would never leave you. And engaged? How is she engaged after a week in the country?"

"The men we had dinner with- she's marrying Nate Archibald. They're so perfect together," Blair wept at the image of their perfection.

"What of Mr. Chuck?" Dorota quietly asked.

"How do you know about Mister Chuck?" Blair instantly went cold.

"Miss Serena tell me a little before you leave. Did you not like Mister Chuck, and that is why you come home early?"

"I..." _I love Mister Chuck_, "I don't want to talk about him! I need a bath- and Laduree, and coffee from Sant Ambroeus." The girl half cried, half commanded the maid.

Dorota gave her a stern look before telling the other maid to retrieve the desired items, and going to draw a bath. With the addition of watching her favorite films, this is how Blair passed all of Sunday and Monday. Unbeknownst to her, Dorota fended off a visit from Chuck, knowing he would be much unwanted.

It was Monday afternoon when Dorota put Singing in the Rain on, unaware of its significance. Blair threw a pillow at the flat screen TV on the wall, crying, "Why!"

"Miss Blair!" Dorota instantly turned the TV off, "You tell Dorota right now what is going on with you." The maid put on her most unyielding gaze.

"He said he was in love with me." Blair dropped the words unceremoniously.

"And... you did not say I love you back?" Dorota sputtered.

"He's not the person I thought he was... and- and- I don't know!" Blair weakly defended.

"So what did you do?" Dorota tried to picture the scene.

"It was when I was leaving... so... I left." Blair felt hot with shame as she admitted it.

"He says he loves you and you leave? Miss Blair... Do you... Do you love him?" The maid was nothing but care and concern.

"He was..." Blair smiled a little to herself as she thought of how he was with her, "Fun, and so sharp... he really cared about me, it was beautiful..."

"Miss Blair, I wish you could see your face right now." Dorota stroked Blair's hair a moment.

"But what he's doing... he's not the person I thought he was." Blair whispered.

"Give it time, it's been how many days since you met him?"

Blair leaned her head against her pseudo-mother, "You may have a point there..."

"So come, tomorrow you go out, work, live your life- no staying in bed anymore." Dorota hugged Blair.

"Alright, that would be good... check in at work, maybe have lunch at The Modern?" Blair was already feeling better at the though.

* * *

><p>She had not left her room since she came home, wandering between her bed and the bathtub for two days. So the plethora of vases in the foyer full of peonies startled her when she went to leave the next morning. "Dorota..."<p>

"I'm sorry!" The maid pleaded, "I could not throw them away, it is winter, and they are so pretty, and the smell- baby like the smell of peonies," she patted her large round tummy.

"But where..." Blair did not want to ask, because she did not want the answer.

"Mister Chuck," The maid retrieved a pile of cards, shoving them into Blair's hands, "Here, I only open the first one to know who was sending them."

Blair stuffed them in her work bag and hastily left the apartment full of peonies.

A few hours later, after e-mails and phone calls, the knowledge of them finally won out. She tore the cards open to read them. It was her book- the lines of poetry they had quoted to each other. She remembered the look in his eyes when he told her he thought he was in love with her. It shot straight through her heart and shook her to the core. She buried her face in her hands for a moment before smoothing back her hair. She glanced at the clock- time for lunch, thank heavens.

She sipped the perfect cup of cappuccino, her nerves calmed by a delicious meal and a dose of people watching. She glanced up as a well dressed gentlemen entered the dining room and her small cup froze halfway between her mouth and the saucer. He looked up from the phone in his hand and she saw him pause, his gaze suspending a moment, holding her heart quaking in her chest. The maître d' showed him to his table, where he set his coat down and then turned to come back to her.

"Blair." Her name started out firmly, but dropped to a whisper near the end.

"Hello, Chuck. What brings you here?" Her cool exterior belied the fury of emotions rioting beneath.

"Oh, just some business to attend to," Chuck smiled a little, equal parts happy and sad by being so close to her, "Some of it concerns you."

"Really?" Blair tried to temper the enthusiasm that slipped out in her voice.

"You didn't have to leave because of Serena and Nate. Their engagement is just a ruse."

"A ruse?" Blair was taken back.

"Seems they were trying to find a way to get rid of any barriers between you and the alter. They seemed to think we're quite serious about each other." Chuck tried to stay neutral, he had already put his feelings out there for her once already.

"Well," Blair was hurt by his neutrality, "Just shows you how foolish people can be. Why do people have to stick their noses in other people's business?"

"That's Nate for you?"

"That's Serena for you."

Chuck stuck his hands in his pockets, stuffing his feelings away with them, "Here we were just having some fun together, and they thought we were... in love with each other." He gazed in her eyes as he said it.

Blair held her chin high, "How ridiculous."

"They're sorry about it now." Were they- or was he? He cleared his throat, "Serena would really like you to come back- I, would really like you to come back."

"I... I don't know Chuck..."

"I don't know exactly what happened between us this weekend, but I'd like to do whatever I can to get us back to that place."

"Charles!" Stephen Colbert walked up to Chuck and shook his hand.

"Stephen, thank you for joining me before the show tonight."

"Not a problem! It's great to catch up with a fellow Hampten-Sydney boy! If I might ask- who is this lovely young lady?" Stephen flashed a smile at Blair.

"This is Blair Waldorf," Chuck's heart pounded a moment, wanting to call her something to mark her as someone dear to him, but kept his business facade in place, "She's working on the event for us this weekend."

"Blair, lovely to meet you." Stephen shook Blair's hand as well, "Shall we lunch? We can go over the details- I got everything sorted, just like you wanted, the network, sponsors, the whole deal."

"Of course. Blair it was... so good to see you." Blair saw the softness in his eyes as he looked at her, before he had to turn away.

"You too, Chuck." She managed a small smile for him, though all she wanted to do was run home and cry. Which she did, but only after coolly finishing her cappuccino and paying her bill- without once looking back at them.

* * *

><p>It was 11:20 that night and Susie sat in front of the television with her grandfather. Feigning a yawn, she asked, "It's so late, grandpa, aren't you tired?"<p>

"No, no, I'm going to stay up for Stephen."

Emma ran into the family room area shrieking, Susie, Serena, and Dr. Waverly al looking alarmed.

"Emma, what is the meaning of this?"

"It's terrible! He fell right down the stairs! It's awful!" Emma half pushed the professor towards the stairway in the foyer. Nate was grabbing his leg and rolling around.

"Did you fall down the stairs?" The professor knelt down to the boy.

"Yes, sir." Nate allowed himself to be helped up by Dr. Waverly. He held is leg gingerly, sticking it straight out in front of him, his acting bordering the line between fabulous and perhaps too much, "Oh, it's not too bad, perhaps just a small compound fracture?"

"Why don't you try to put your weight on it, son?"

Nate's foot barely touched the ground before he yelped in pain.

"Someone call the doctor."

"No, no, no," Nate pleaded, "It's probably just a small internal muscular hemorrhage, it will be alright." Who knew all those hours of watching medical dramas would pay off?

"You'll feel better if you just get somewhere you can be comfortable," He tried to steer Nate back towards the family room, "We'll sit you down and you can watch the television."

Nate bumped his ankle and cried out and crumpled to the ground.

"That's it, I'm going to call the doctor."

"No, please don't. If you just... help me back to my cabin, I'm sure I'll be all right!" Nate reached up for the professor to help him up again. Standing once more, "Thank you, sir," He glanced back at the girls watching him, "I wouldn't want to faint in front of the women."

The professor started to help him out of the foyer, Nate gently trying to put weight on his 'injured' ankle. When Dr. Waverly turned to open the door for them, Nate turned back and winked at the girls, who were trying not to burst out laughing.

Most of Chuck's interview on the show was about the education trust he had made in Bart's memory, a little about being an eligible bachelor. During the closing scene, however, he and Stephen stood in front of the camera and put a call out to all of Professor Waverly's former students, to come and pay tribute to their former mentor, who taught them so much.

"Our parents teach us so much- how to tie our shoes, to say please and thank you, or... what love looks like," Chuck made a small smile here, "But when they are away, it is the teachers we depend on to teach us not just how to read a map, or the order of the President's, but to give our dreams and our lives direction. The least we can do is remember what they taught us and pay homage to that," Stephen nodded along with what Chuck was saying, "This tribute has nothing to do with Bass Industries, or my father's trust. It's just a few of Dr. Waverly's students taking an evening out of their lives to recognize the difference one man has made in our lives. It's a chance to give the nicest Christmas gift, to the nicest man we'll ever know. So mark your calendars for Christmas Eve, Pine Tree, Vermont."

Back in Vermont, Nate glanced at his watch, as he had finagled the professor in to helping him 'walk' around the area in front of the cabins for nearly half an hour... just a few more minutes!

Curled up in her bed, Blair's face was blank. She could barely process everything she was hearing. There was no angle. He just wanted to cheer up the professor. There was no lie- he was... he was as wonderful as she had felt. What a fool she had been- running like that. She was just scared. Scared of how perfect she felt in his arms, scared of all the wonderful things he was saying, and once again it played in her mind, and beat in her heart- _I think I'm in love with you_. Oh, why did she not hold on to that?

She could barely sleep the rest of the night, desperate to talk to him, to see him.

* * *

><p>Then next morning, Blair exhaled slowly as she stood in front of the Bass Industries building, her eyes moving higher and higher. Gathering her composure, she smoothed the front of her coat as she stared at the main doors. Her heart beat rapidly underneath Chantelle, Dior, and Valentino as her hand met the door. The door he walked through everyday. Her heart was beating wildly with anticipation but her mind was screaming at her. Wrong. She had been so wrong, from the very beginning.<p>

There was security in front of the bank of elevators. Her nerves giving away, she ducked into a waiting area off to the side. She could not do it- she could not do this. What would she say? What could she say? That she had been a fool. A fool, because love makes a fool of all of us. She thought of the look on his face when she had seen him yesterday. "Chuck..." she murmured, her eyes unfocused as she stared down at the patterned tile floor.

A female security guard politely poked her head around the corner to check on their visitor. This close to the holidays the building was not as busy, and Blair's presence, standing there nervously was very obvious. Stepping into the space, she softly asked, "Is there something I can help you with?"

But there was a commotion; a fury of long black Armani wool, his collar popped up to meet his neatly cut hair, as he talked on his phone. Both Blair and the guard, stood off to the side, out of his notice, watching him leave the building and slip into a waiting town car. Blair dared not breathe, scared he might sense her, only exhaling when the car had pulled away.

"Miss?" The guard broke the silence. Blair gave her a small smile.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. Now is not the time for this."

But there was a time. And a place. And she needed to rush home and pack.

* * *

><p>Chuck needed to return to Vermont now, but he needed to stop and retrieve something from his suite. He needed it to calm his heart; after seeing Blair last night, he knew he would do whatever it would take to fix things. He wanted his future to be one with hers.<p>

* * *

><p>"Dorota!" Blair cried as she stepped off the elevator, "I need to pack, now!"<p>

The maid scurried from the kitchen and the two women entered Blair's room to pack, "We'll fix all this in Vermont! Just in time to enjoy Christmas together- oh, it will be perfect Dorota!"

The maid had suddenly frozen, a strange look on her face.

"Dorota, what's wrong?"

"The baby."

"What about the baby?" Blair was worried.

"The baby is coming. Now."

* * *

><p>AN: Another late night for cococutie33, but I didn't want to finish my Christmas on such a sad note as chapter eight! So before I curl up with my beloved Asian!Chuck, I give you chapter nine, which is picking up nicely, no?<p>

Thank you firstly to dear sweet cococutie33 for editing like this TWO nights in a row. How amazing is she? And secondly to all you who paused your Christmas (or Boxing Day) to leave a review and wishes that I have a lovely Christmas- which I did, in part because of all of you!


	10. While You're Dancing

White Christmas

While You're Dancing

Vanya had gone to Poland to bring Dorota's parents over, and Blair was the only one there. She stayed at the maid's side, the labor at least being easier than her first one, with Ana. By dinner, Dorota was cradling her son in her arms, little Dimitri. She made Blair hold him, at first a little nervous, but, as he lay in her arms, she realized how badly she wanted this. The little boy made happy little sounds at her, and it was a mess of happiness tempered with ice water. She handed him back to Dorota and rubbed her arms.

"Miss Blair, are you okay?"

"I..." she sighed, and sat on Dorota's bed, "How could you let me grow up with such silly thoughts in my head? How could I believe I'd never find..." Blair stared at her lap, fidgeting with her clothes.

"You always dream big for other people. So I always knew some day someone would come along and be brave enough to dream big, for you." Dorota smiled.

"What will I do, though, Dorota?" Blair was scared and frustrated, and took it out by tugging cruelly at the hem of her skirt.

"You forget all those peonies in the apartment? You ran away and he not give up on you." Dorota gently berated the girl.

"But he was so cool to me at lunch yesterday." Blair began to pout.

"He hurt, Miss Blair, and I take it you were not falling all over him?" Dorota continued.

Now Blair had to frown, because Dorota was completely right. It was like all their flirting had shifted to the wrong page. Neither of them said the whole of any of their feelings- at least, Blair did not. He had looked so... perfect; oh, the way he had looked at her in those first few moments.

Dimitri started fussing in the middle of her reverie, "Here let me take him."

"I think he is ready for a nap." Dorota smiled down at her little boy as she gave him to Blair. She rocked him a few moments as she walked him to his little crib.

_How many will we have?_

_ Is three too many? I always thought three sounded good._

_ ... I want a girl first, I think._

_ Didn't you hear how beautiful my wife is? Imagine a tiny version- all fury and brown curls._

She remembered his smile, and his laugh.

_ Yes, but she'd have to have your smirk!_

_ Only if she gets your mouth._

_ You know... the hardest part may be having only three children?_

Blair laid him down to sleep, and went back to sitting with Dorota, her heart pounding so loudly she thought it must be audible to her friend.

"Dorota... how did you know you wanted to be with Vanya forever?" She felt like a little girl asking her mother for a fairy story.

"Because of how wonderful he make me feel; like a whole person. And when I look at him, I knew I wanted to build my family with him. Now we have Ana, and little Dimitri, and my family is all the more beautiful- and there is you and Miss Serena, too." She smiled.

Blair hugged Dorota- her maid, her friend, and in many ways her mother, "I miss Mom and Dad..." She said in a quiet voice.

"I know." Dorota held Blair close.

"I don't want that to happen to my children." She cried at little, thinking of her parents, thinking that the same thing could befall her own babies.

"Hush, don't think that. Firstly, that is no excuse to be scared of love and growing your own family," The maid stroked Blair's hair, "And second, your babies be just as strong as you- and Mister Chuck, if you chose him? He is very good at arguing, but no match for Dorota."

Blair sat up, "What?"

"He try to visit you as soon as you come home. I stop him, but he put up good fight." Dorota smiled, "I think he know I not let him in, but could not turn away Miss Blair's favorite flowers. Smart boy."

She smiled, imagining Dorota and Chuck at odds. That would have been quite a scene to witness. He fought Dorota for her, not many men would be so brave as to even think of doing such a thing. Her heart began aching again.

"So, what do you think, Miss Blair? Is Mister Chuck your fairy tale?"

"I think..."

"I think someone needs to catch me up! Who is Mister Chuck?" A dirty blond boy strolled across the room and hugged Dorota, "Congratulations! Vanya must be so proud, where is he?"

The girls gasped and smiled, "Eric!"

Blair was grinning from ear to ear, "He arrives home Friday with Dorota's parents."

"Oh, so we get Dorota and the baby all to ourselves for a day? Fantastic!"

They ate dinner with Dorota in her room, then Eric and Blair went home and caught up on all that had passed in the last few weeks. When he found out Chuck, and Nate, were Nate and Chuck, he was delighted. But when he asked Blair why Dorota had been asking her about 'Mister Chuck' Blair hid behind Nate and Serena's fake engagement. That at least kept him in shock through the next morning.

He was staring at all the peonies as he sipped his morning coffee, "So... Chuck?"

"Did I tell you I caught Serena and Nate getting it on behind the stage at the inn?" Blair tried to feint again.

"Chuck. You and Chuck?" Eric was not budging. Like Serena knew how to behave in public where boys were concerned.

Blair swirled her orange juice, "Me and Chuck... he..." she took a small sip, needing to feel the acidic juice burn a little in her throat, "He said he thought... he was falling in love with me. And I ran."

"You... what!" Eric just stared at her.

"I have issues, I know!" Blair glowered at him.

"So, Saturday is Christmas Eve." Eric completely shifted the conversation.

"Yes." Blair was surprised to be seemingly off the hook so easily.

"You know what I think the most beautiful thing to hear on Christmas Eve is?" Eric affected an air of sweetness, if slightly dramatic.

Blair gave him a rather flat look, "What?"

"I love you." Eric made a sappy face at her and she smacked him in the arm.

"I love you, too, Eric." She replied pointedly, "But no. What, I'm just going to show up at this big event and say, 'Chuck Bass, I'm madly in love with you and want to have your babies!'"

"Well, isn't that the truth?" Eric raised an eyebrow at her.

"Eric!"

"We leave Saturday morning, no fussing from you missy!"

"Why not... sooner?" Blair had to look away, it was shameful.

"Because Vanya won't arrive until tomorrow, and I have a little work to do- and I am not missing this for the world!" Eric smiled.

So Blair had a few days more to herself, her feelings for Chuck settling, rooting more firmly in her heart. Eric was encouraging, leaving real estate listings and bridal magazines 'conveniently' about for her. She curled up those two nights with them, dreaming of the life she wanted to build with Chuck.

* * *

><p>Saturday morning Eric and Blair departed, a town car driving them to Vermont, "Why couldn't we get Nate to send the helicopter?" Blair pouted.<p>

"We could have, but you need time to be nervous, and freak out, so I can calm you down." Eric did grow up with Blair.

"What if I don't?" She glared at him.

"Then I get to be impressed," Eric chuckled.

Blair was calm, only growing anxious- not nervous, as they grew closer. Emma ferreted them away in a cabin while everyone was distracted, and Eric and Blair spent the time preparing for the evening.

Upstairs in the main house, the professor barked at Emma, "Emma! Where is my tuxedo, or my suits!"

"They are at the dry cleaners!" She countered.

"I will not go down in my university clothes! How could you send all my suits?"

"You only have two."

"Either your tweed jacket that you wore for years is good enough or I will just tell Nate and Chuck that you could not be bothered to come down tonight! Come Susan, your grandfather has a choice to make." Emma turned on her heels, taking her daughter with her out of the room.

Susan stood at the bottom of her stairs, anxiously watching the big grandfather clock in the foyer, waiting for her grandfather. He looked quite the academic when he at last came down the stairs, "Oh, grandfather."

"You didn't think I was going to come downstairs in my bathrobe, did you?" He smiled at her, and she took his offered arm.

"You may not look as grand as someone in military dress, but I know what you do is just as important," Susie beamed up at him.

Stepping into the main room, a spotlight shone on the professor, and everyone in the room stood. "This is for you Grandpa." Susan brought him to a table with a cake made like a stack of books- all history, from Thucydides to Alan Brinkley. A moment later, students began lining up- first, Kappa Alphas from across the years, then other students, all there smiling at him, wanting to shake his hand.

Nate and Chuck stood to the side, smiling. Eventually the professor saw them, and made his way to greet them, knowing it was all their doing. The crowd of men began calling for a speech.

Walking through the group, he lectured them, like he used to, "I'm not quite sure what you lot might call this, but a gentleman knows how to tie a necktie, and polish his shoes. When Napoleon put the wrong buttons on his uniforms, he lost the war to Russia. History matters, behavior, appearance, matter. I don't know how you can call yourself Hampden-Sydney boys, more like a ragtag bunch of want to be Wall Streeters, who can't tell the difference between Thucydides and Herodotus. You've grown soft and lazy, sloppy, and... and," He smiled, "I've never seen anything look so wonderful in my whole life." A hint of tears sparkled in his blue eyes, and everyone applauded, smiling at the sound of their old teacher on one of his post-exam bents.

He blew out the candles on his cake, and soon everyone was seated for dinner. Chuck and Nate sat back, letting everyone else enjoy the professor's company. Nate was, however, in his own bubble with Serena. They seemed happier than ever, and there was Chuck, alone. He thought perhaps... maybe... Blair would come back tonight. The event she and Serena had organized was incredible, and she was not even here to see it. He was not ready to cope with the idea that he screwed up, and she was gone. He had to believe it would be okay soon.

Couples began to take to the floor to dance. He watched Serena and Nate for a while, but his altruism only went so far. After the first dance however, Serena asked if he would dance with her? And like a perfect gentleman, he said yes.

"I know I'm not my sister, but I'm glad all the same you would dance with me," Serena bubbled.

"It's an honor to dance with anyone of Blair's acquaintance," He tried to flatter, but it fell flat a little.

Hidden in the shadows, Eric now reached for Blair's hand to pull her to the floor, Blair squeaking a little, "No, wait, can't I freak out first?"

He laughed, "Nope, that opportunity has passed, time to go!"

They drifted across the floor towards Serena, who had to keep her smile down when her eyes met Blair's.

Eric was flawless, "If I might cut in?" and with that, he changed Blair's hand for Serena's and floated off with his tall willowy sister.

It was electricity when their fingers touched, their bodies were magnetic, pulling closer and closer until they fit together perfectly. Chuck had to keep calm, though his heart was in his throat, and his eyes drank in the sight of her. So he focused on something else, "Was that Eric just now?"

"Yes, he came up with me, after Dorota had her baby, and her family arrived. Chuck..."

He stared down at her, her eyes were large pools of soft brown, and he was scared that only the worst could come from her sudden appearance, "Please." He furrowed his brow, as if in pain, and looked away from her, "If you've come here to... tell me things have come to an end, spare me the agony. It hurts so much to hold you right now. Let go, and be done with me."

Blair could have cried at the look on his face, the sound in his voice as he spoke such painful words. Her hand traveled up his arm to cup his cheek and turn his face back to her. "I'm sure you wish it were that easy, or simple. I'm sorry I was afraid, and that I hurt you. But in my self-imposed exile, I missed you more than I could have ever imagined possible. I only slept well, or had sweet dreams, after I admitted to myself that I want nothing else in the world so much as to love you and be with you, Chuck."

She leaned up, brushing her lips against his, careful, uncertain. For a moment she was afraid at his lack of response, then equally afraid when his hands tightened around her- was he going to push her away?

No. His mouth pressed against hers, passion answering her gentleness, and her arms wrapped around his neck as he dipped her back on the dance floor. The crowd paused at the scene, and after a moment, Eric whistled and Serena was making cheering noises. Assuming a more respectable stance, the couple glared at the blond trio a moment before smiles broke across their faces, only then returning to their dance.

Serena went to get a drink while Eric and Nate caught up. Eric eyed the taller boy, "So I hear you were faking an engagement to my sister?"

"Actually... about that. Chuck picked up something for me in the city while he was there, and I was wanting to ask you."

A few minutes later, Nate took Serena to the library for some privacy, and when they emerged, Serena was wearing the van der Bilt diamond. The girls were squealing and hugging as Nate, Chuck, and Eric just grinned.

"So, what about you Chuck," Nate elbowed his best friend.

"Don't rush me- I'm just glad to know I didn't lose her. And we all don't have the van der Bilt charm to fall back on, you know." Chuck glowered at his friend, alluding to the giant diamond on Serena's finger.

"Oh, I know you'll more than make up for that in your own way!" Nate knew exactly how Chuck competed with the van der Bilt ring.

"Anyway, gentlemen, I think I've had enough activity for the evening. Now if you excuse me, I'd like to take my lady and enjoy our reunion in a more private space?" Chuck winked at his friends as his hand slid around Blair's waist.

They were kissing feverishly before they could even push the door open. Clothes were half off by the time the made it near the bed. Blair reached to their not so little box of condoms, still at the bedside a week later, and picked one up.

Chuck froze, and grasped her arm, holding it steady. Pulling his mouth away, he gasped, "No."

Blair's heart beat so fast she thought it might explode, "No?"

"No. I don't just want to have sex with you anymore. I don't want to date, and play games for the media. I know what we have, I know what I want with you," Chuck pulled the condom from her hand and tossed it to the floor, before he knelt down before her.

Now Blair was certain her heart was about to explode as he gaze up at her, his hand reaching into his pocket. She felt her knees weaken, and tried to focus on breathing. She was not going to faint, she was not going to faint.

"Blair... my beloved Waldorf, will you build your future with me? Live not on Park Avenue, help me raise our children, and... be my wife?" Chuck held up the sparkling ring of white fire that was his mother's.

"Chuck," She smiled wide, trying to stay calm enough to answer him. She stepped back a moment, and then knelt down to her knees before him, "With all my heart, passion, love- my entire being, I give myself to you as you give yourself to me. Partners... equals, in our love, in our life."

He slipped the ring on her finger and quickly returned to kissing her. The remaining pieces of clothing were stripped off with all due urgency, and they could not be troubled to move from the floor. He pulled Blair on top of him, eager to watch her, to touch her, to feel himself buried inside of her so completely. There was no holding back after this past week; it was raw and wild, their hips bucking and grinding against one another as she rode him desperately. She was beautiful in the moonlight, her frenzy, her cries, only making his passion escalate faster. But what sent him into his orgasm had nothing to do with their passion or lust, but the sight of her left hand as it cupped her breast, the glitter of light shining as it fractured into a million points of light. She was his, to love and be with from this day forward. The thought burned down the column of his spine, his body jerking as he cried out with such bliss, uniting him with her, and the hope of beginning their family.

Their lust cooled after that, but the next few hours were filled will sweet touches and loving words between making love. Sleep eventually claimed them, and there were no alarms to wake them in the morning, just the wonderful sensation of being in each other's arms.

While everyone was asleep, it finally, at last, snowed. Chuck and Blair walked up to the house together for breakfast, smiling, hand in hand. It was truly the best Christmas gift ever as they joined Serena and Nate and Eric at a table, sharing their news, and at last, they were all... family.

* * *

><p>AN: The end! Well, except for the epilogue ^_^ But I'm off on vacation now, so, delayed gratification. Actually, you are a fun, weird bunch of readers. All at once you want quick updates, yet now that we are at the end, you wish I would take longer? :confused: lol, I blame the fluff?<p>

Thank you to dear sweet cococutie33 for a lovely job once again editing this madness. You can also thank her for the bigger epilogue you will be getting after I return in a week! She told me several hundred words was just not acceptable, haha.

Take a moment to tell me how it was? I didn't realize how long it had been since I wrote a CB engagement scene and am very nervous about it! Seriously, you have no idea 0_o

xoxo  
>~K<p> 


	11. Curly Heads

White Christmas

Curly Heads

New York was beside itself- in losing two of its best bachelors, and then to have not one but two exceptional wedding. Serena wanted to be a May bride, but Blair could not settle on a date at first. She knew she wanted to be married to Chuck soon, but she was torn between society's expectations and her wishes.

Upon returning to the city, Serena and Blair decided to continue to live together while preparing for their new futures. As such, they immediately began a tradition of family brunch on Sundays. It was during one of these first few brunches that Chuck held Blair's hand and smiled as he told their family they were already expecting their first Baby Bass. Smiles, hugs, and cries of joy followed.

"I didn't know you were already trying!" Serena squealed as she hugged her sister.

"We didn't want to wait- but I don't think we expected to be successful quite so fast either." Blair chuckled.

Chuck pulled Blair back into his arms, his smile radiant, "Excuse me," he teased, "but no one can really be surprised. I'm Chuck Bass."

Blair giggled at her fiancé as she kissed him.

"So then, when are you getting married?" Nate wondered aloud.

"I think," Blair threaded her fingers through Chuck's, "I'm going to be a winter bride. I have no intention of wearing maternity clothes for my wedding!" The thought of the very unsexy things she would have to wear under her clothes made her shudder. She was going to wear La Perla on her wedding night! Or Agent Provocateur- she still had not decided.

With Chuck's name and Blair's persuasiveness, their short deadline was of little concern. It was everything they wanted and the only thing Blair felt on her wedding day was bliss from her own fairy tale coming true. The stress she would have normally felt at arranging such a large and grand event simply rolled off of her, because Chuck stood there, waiting for her, to take her hand in marriage.

They smiled, they kissed, they held hands, and they danced. Chuck then stole her away to Tuscany for several weeks. They soaked up the warm sun and lost themselves in one another. Though the newly weds were less than happy to see their honeymoon end, excitement built in Chuck every minute that brought them closer to their island.

As they slipped into the town car home, Blair was curious at Chuck's excitement, even more so when he pulled a length of silk fabric from his jacket pocket. He covered her eyes with it and she pouted, "Chuck… it's like I don't know where we are going."

"But you don't," He chuckled.

She gasped in horror a moment, "You aren't taking me to Brooklyn, are you?"

He feigned insult, "I may be sexually deviant, but I'm not cruel."

He watched a little smile creep on to her face and he took her lack of sight as an inviting way to pass the car ride into the city. By the time the car stopped, he had touched, teased, and tasted every inch of her body he could reach without undressing her. Blair was now double impaired; her sight, and her mind was perfectly hazy.

He held her hands and led her forward. She heard a gentleman say, "Welcome home Mr. Bass, Mrs. Bass."

She could hear the smile in Chuck's voice as he said thank you and he pulled her forward into a building, then… into an elevator. Her heart beat loudly in her ears and she truly could not imagine what he was up to. Had he arranged for one of his hotel penthouses to be redone for them?

At last, he led her from the elevator and turned her to stand just so. Untying the blindfold, he purred in her ear, "Are you ready?"

Blair bounced on her feet a little, anxious to discover his secret, "Yes, yes!"

The silk dropped away and she gasped as they stood in the foyer of the most perfect penthouse she had ever seen. Chuck grinned as he stared at the expression on her face, "I know it is a little delayed, but do you like your wedding present?"

"Chuck!" It was more of a squeak than a proper annunciation of his name.

He gave her a moment to take some of it in before he took her hand and pulled her up the stairs like a child on Christmas morning. Pushing a pair of French doors open, Blair could barely utter a sound. The nursery. The room was flooded with light from the windows, and Blair had to hug herself tight as she took in the beautiful crib, the rocking chair, the soft little stuffed animals, the jeweled mobile that twinkled in the sunlight at her. There were tears in her eyes and she buried herself in her husband's arms, "Chuck… it's all so beautiful."

"You expected less of me?" A small laugh rumbled low in his chest as he titled her chin up to stare into her eyes, "I give you my all- because of you, now I know what love is." He quoted her Virgil to her and leaned down to kiss her sweet mouth. His love and passion bloomed in his chest and still smiling, he took her hands once more and pulled her towards another room.

"I'm afraid to show you this room," Chuck made a nervous little frown, "It's not done yet, but I still want you to see it." Unlatching the doors, he paused to scoop his wife up in his arms and carried her through the doorway. After the proper amount of blushing was achieved, he put her back on her feet to observe the large space they stood in.

The master bedroom was as full of light as the nursery was, but the colors were deeper and richer. The art on the walls was beautiful, her vanity was sumptuous, and their bed… _their_ bed was magnificent. But Blair furrowed her brow as she glanced around the room a second time, "What do you mean the room is not done yet?"

Chuck stood behind her, and at her question his fingers tugged the zipper of her dress down, his voice husky as he whispered in her ear, "We haven't christened it as our own."

Her dress on the floor, Blair's smile was bright as she pushed her husband onto the plush bed. It was sweet and loving, their touches reverent as they undressed one another, butterfly kisses tattooing skin. Blair climbed into his lap, mounting him, and Chuck lay back to watch his wife in her pleasure as she rode him. Her breasts spilled from his hands now, and he loved the feel of the hard fullness of her stomach, knowing it was their child growing inside her. She cried his name as she came, professing her love as her back arched and her hips writhed. He felt his need pull deep inside, the surge building as he curled his fingers around her hips. Blair leaned down to him, her mouth claiming his just as he groaned in orgasm.

Blair happily curled up in his arms, sighing in perfect contentment.

"Welcome home, my love." Chuck smiled, holding her close, and kissing the top of her head.

* * *

><p>Christmastime. Chuck chased a happily cooing Diana across the floor as she crawled. Blair giggled as she watched them, hanging one of her new ornaments on the tree, "Chuck Bass, chasing his dream in bare feet?"<p>

He scooped up Diana in his arms and smiled at his wife, "No, Chuck Bass _living_ his dream."

Voices came from the direction of the foyer, and within moments, a gaggle of blond heads entered the living room crying out happy holidays. Aunt and uncles happily greeted their niece, Blair gently hugged her very pregnant sister, and the large family moved towards the bright warm breakfast room for their Sunday brunch.

Eric played with Diana as he fed her, and they all wondered at when Serena would at last give the little girl a cousin, the due date rapidly approaching- would it be tomorrow, next week, on New Years? It was at this point that Chuck cleared his throat, "Not to steal anyone's attention but… family should be the first to know, that little Diana will soon have not only a cousin, but a younger sibling as well."

Nate grinned at his best friend and brother, not terribly surprised, while Serena stared at her sister, "Already!"

Blair blushed, "We are very healthy in terms of… expressing our love for one another."

"I'd say." Eric snickered as he grinned.

Everyone laughed, and their home was full of laughter, happiness, and love.

It was because of love that the Archibald-Bass family came to grow and rule over their Empire in Manhattan; a pair of blonds and a pair of brunettes, the height of style and power, with their little groups of matching children.

* * *

><p>AN: There we go! ^_^ A little picture of their happiness. Thanks once more to the delightful cococutie33 for editing! She's great at writing these happy Chair stories, so if you haven't, check out her stuff!<p>

I'm getting up to a couple interesting things this month, so if you like what I'm doing, don't forget to watch my Twitter or Tumblr, and thank you for reading!


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